When Cole Meets Deker
by hsm753
Summary: Once a Ranger, once a Samurai. Two lost souls have crossed paths, one being from a guardian background and the other from an once full human background. See what happens as two look-alikes battle for one purpose.
1. Chapter 1: The Fate At Hand

When Cole Meets Deker

***No Copyright Intended. I do not own Power Rangers or its characters. All rights go to Saban.****  
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CHAPTER 1: THE FATE AT HAND

Pure darkness. That's all that could be seen. In such a time as it was, there was nothing to see but pitch darkness all around the night. It was only little flashes of light that could be seen within the pitch black. The little flashes circled around the darkness and flashed in different colors. It was the little flashes that gave hope to the darkness. The dark was the only thing to be seen, and yet nothing was heard. Not one sound had come into view. And, then, light came.

Cole Evans opened his eyes, but they were too heavy to keep open. He closed them again, and felt sleep come back upon him. He tried to open them again, but only for a second he saw trees above him. The trees were, as he could see, almost lit around the shadows of the night. A dark sky had been over the clouds for some time. Cole, opening his heavy green eyes again, tried to keep them open for good, but nothing could control the sleep pouring back into his eyes, forcing them to close again. Cole could see, the second time, he was in the forest. Trees were not the only things around him, but some bushes were in view and pine cones fell from the tree branches as the wind picked up speed. Sleep now felt more better to happen than the first few times. The wind roared at Cole's ears.

Now he could hear sounds and not only see darkness. For the first time, Cole felt hot in the cold forest. He tried to pick up his hand, but it seemed as if his hand was disobeying him. Or was it that his hand felt like it was crushed under a rock. In fact, he now felt his body feel that way too. Cole couldn't move, his head ached in pain, and he was hot all over. His body temperature must have moved up to the nineties. No. It was beyond that.

Cole couldn't see it, but, he felt something near him. Something more hot than his body. He tried to open his eyes, but no use came. Then, the wind still roaring, Cole could hear footsteps.

Someone else is here? With me? Cole thought, trying to open his eyes again, but again was of no use.

The footsteps got louder. The roaring got rougher. His body got hotter by the minutes passing him as he remained awake under his closed eyes. The footsteps stopped, and, it seemed like only a second Cole felt cold hands on his head.

Cole tried to spring up, but couldn't get his eyes open or his body up, leaving him to the cold hands and the roaring wind in his ears. Cole had only twitched alittle and groaned a lump out of his throat that seemed as if it was there forever. Cole tried to open his eyes again, and succeeded for a second, catching the glimpse of a figure down below the trees near his face. He saw strings of white over his eyelids and nothing more. Cole's eyes got the best of him again, trying to get him back to sleep, and his eyes succeeded. Cole had fallen asleep again, and saw the darkness again.

The little flashes returned...and he realized the flashes were that of fire.

* * *

><p><strong>Twenty-four hours before<strong>

Cole had walked for years looking for a place to call home. But the only place he ever did call home was his years as a Power Ranger. If only he had the choice to stay with Princess Shayla on the Animarium, he would have stayed. But she left the Rangers and walked into the sky where she had slept for 3,000 years at the time. She is asleep now, and Cole pondered if she was still remembering the Wild Force team. He continued walking down the steep forest path, and no one had seen him since the defeat of Master Org. Cole traveled these woods like he knew the paths by heart, but he didn't, and had to carry on without his beloved golden retriever, who had died when a wild wolf killed him and almost killed Cole too, had Cole not had gotten that big stick and plunged it through the wolf's heart, killing it. Cole had never killed an animal up until that night. He looked at his battle scars placed on his left forearm. The streaks of red curled around his wrist and down his forearm.

"I tried to protect you, but I couldn't." Cole murmured as he kept walking down the forest path.

After Cole had buried the golden retriever, he continued to walk among the forests and find his true place in this world, but now he felt that he was lost. He was a guardian, but a lost one. Had he not killed that wolf, he would have found his home, but now its tortured him to find a home knowing he killed an animal that had one. If he hadn't left his Jungle home years ago, he would have found nothing more but new Jungle to uncover. But when he did leave his home, it felt as if he had found a new world in Turtle Cove.

But all of that was years ago. This was the future. This was now.

Cole walked back down the path, and continued to look out at the green surroundings. It was the middle of spring, and after the long cold winter, Cole was ready to climb the trees again. To see the clouds and mountaintops once more. The cold winter, as Cole had recalled from a cave he and his golden retriever kept shelter, left ice-cycles hanging on the branches and falling to the ground without breaking apart. The winds were freezing cold and rough on the skin, as if it could detach from your body. The cave would have been a home to Cole, had it not been taken over by a bear hibernating for that winter. It almost scared the golden retriever into whining all day, and Cole was there to rub its golden head and talk to it in the way he knew how for so many years.

But this forest was different than any other. It seemed a little dense and that no one dared to enter it. But Cole wasn't afraid. He was never afraid of the forests that he had wandered in for so long.

Then, a spark of light came from nowhere...and hit him in the back, knocking him over in pain. Cole turned sharply. Someone had followed him.

As Cole had thought, it was something following him. But it wasn't a normal human being. It was a monster. A monster like that of the Orgs he had faced with his friends long ago. All of the monsters had a frightening appearance to the humans, and Cole had sensed that the monsters had no hearts, and this one didn't either. Cole coughed as he looked at the short squid monster before him, surrounded by fish-faced orange and red soldiers with swords in hand. They crept closer, and Cole sprung into a crouching position, clutching his chest, as he had bruised it in the fall, and breathed heavily.

"Who are you?" Cole asked, almost breathless.

"Ohh-Ahh-Ohh, I'm Octoroo! The brains behind Master Xandred and the Nighlok kingdom!"

Cole gasped. "The N-Nighlok kingdom? M-Master Xandred?"

"Out of words? How about this!" Octoroo yelled, and stuck out his staff.

At the end of Octoroo's staff was a long piece of metal. It lashed out a single lightning bolt and hit Cole square in the gut, throwing him across the woods, hitting his head on a tree.

Cole felt like he was flying, taking in all of his past as he reached for a vine to grab onto. But no vines had been caught in his view, and Cole was lost in thought he didn't see the tree aimed for his head. When Cole felt the pain of the tree, he yelled. When he hit the cold ground, he groaned. When he saw the red blood on his wrist, he gasped and clutched the back of his head, then brought his hand back into the view of his eyes. More blood. Dark red blood pulsed out of him. Cole almost felt drowned in his sorrow and pain. Then, the squid monster was in front of him, the soldiers close behind.

Octoroo laughed. "What a joke. These humans are weak without the Power Rangers."

Cole tried to sit up, but his head ached in pain. The fact of hearing the name of 'Power Ranger' brought Cole back to his days as the red Wild Force Ranger. But there was no time for words. The only real thing to worry about was to destroy the monster, what little there was of it. Octoroo walked slowly towards Cole and lifted his head from the ground, causing his body to ache the same as his head. Cole groaned and grabbed the squid's old, little, and clammy hand, trying to break the hold. Cole was in heart pulsing pain, but he remained strong from his heart.

"Prepare for your demise, human. Even you could never defeat the Nighlok without a purpose."

"Back then...I had a purpose. To...destroy...the...Orgs. Monsters like...you. I'm a guardian of the Earth."

Octoroo let Cole's body fall back on the cold ground. Cole groaned as he felt the impact. "Humph. That's how you want to play?"

Octoroo let up his staff again, and pointed it at Cole's head. In between his eyes.

Cole closed his eyes. Breathing heavily. Slowly he felt his last words coming. "If I am to die, here I will rest."

Octoroo laughed. The soldiers laughed as well. Some threw their arms in the air and laughed. Cole kept his eyes closed. He was ready to meet his fate.

At least I will be with my parents, Cole thought. I can see them in person and not on a photo.

Cole waited for the squid to toss the killing blow, but it seemed as though he had waited for too long for this moment. Octoroo laughed again, and twisted his staff to the right angle.

"Where's your Power Rangers now, human?"

Then, Cole felt a heartbeat. It was close by, but not in front of him. He heard the soldiers scream and gasp. Then, Cole opened his eyes. The squid was out from under his nose, and another monster came into view. The squid was lying on the ground a few feet away, and it was trying to get up from the attack of the other monster.

The monster had a red face, a white body, a sword on his back. Cole continued to feel the heartbeat of the monster. The monster had a heart.

"How is that possible?" Cole whispered.

The monster pointed his long, red and white sword into the face of the squid monster. Octoroo screamed and gasped and panted as he found the sword in his face. The soldiers were dead beside him.

"Y-You! W-W-What are you doing here?"

"Octoroo...you will not hurt the human...but I will."

Cole looked sharply at the other monster, as the monster faced him, the long sword pointed at Cole's chest. Cole couldn't move. His breath was short. His head ached in pain. Cole had felt his life flash before him:

His friends the Wild Force Rangers. The photo of his parents. The Jungle. The golden retriever.

Everything flashed as the monster walked forward, the sword still drawn. The monster chuckled.

Then, it happened too fast.

"Fire Smasher!" Someone yelled in the distance.

"What?" The monster yelled.

Octoroo had just gotten to his feet. "Oh no!"

Cole looked sharply, and caught the glimpse of fire heading towards him and the ones around him. The fire was hot and intense, and it blasted the squid another yard or so, but the monster swiped his long sword and the fire dissapeared...but not before hitting Cole. Cole had gotten the worst of the attack.

Cole was blasted another three feet or so, and felt himself landing in the thick brush of the forest floor. The dirt piled amongst him, and darkness crept upon him. Cole saw nothing but darkness.


	2. Chapter 2: The Truth

CHAPTER 2: THE TRUTH

Cole had tried to open his eyes again, but no use came this time, like many of the other times he tried to open his eyes. Cole felt hot all over his body. His face was the hottest of all. Then, cold hands were felt on his face. Cole tried to lift his body, but no use came. He groaned a lump out of his throat. He opened his eyes a little, and saw a figure before him. The figure was in shadows, its face pitch black in the darkness. Cole saw that the figure's clothes were also covered in darkness, except for a white cloth draped over the figure. White streaks were above Cole's eyelids, making his eyes sting and fall back into flutters. Cole's eyes betrayed him by closing again. The cold hands disappeared as Cole's mind disappeared into a deep sleep. Then, he saw flashes of light. Of fire.

Cole sprung up, himself betraying his eyes, and saw the fire before him. It was piled onto branches torn from trees and of weeds dried from the sun. The cold hands were flashed away from him, and Cole had no idea where he was in the dense forest of night. He had never traveled this far. Never.

"Stay asleep. Your fever is still high. You'll need all the rest you can." A male voice said.

Cole tried to look around for the sign of the voice, but his neck betrayed him just as his eyes did. Cole felt his body being pushed back down, as his arms collapsed onto the cold ground.

* * *

><p><strong>Twenty-four hours before<strong>

Deker had lived in the forest for as long as his existance let him. He was not like that of the other Nighlok, for he was cursed to find his worthy opponent for his strusty sword Urumasa. His sword swayed by his side as he walked along the steep paths of the forest, letting his instincts guide him as he knew most of the paths by heart. He saw no need to help Master Xandred and his Nighlok clan destroy the Power Rangers, the group of Samurai that fought and destroyed every Nighlok the Master had thrown at them. The recent was Robtish, a Scottish Nighlok who had warned Deker to stay away from his and the red ranger's battle. But on that day, Deker didn't want to stay away. He wanted his ultimate duel. The duel that would finally bring his curse to an end. He would be free...and at peace.

But that didn't matter now. Deker was ready to fight the red ranger for the duel, and the right place was already set: by the sea. The time was unknown, but Deker wanted the duel now. If Deker hadn't helped the red ranger in his battle with Robtish, he would have caught that ranger by surprise, but, no, he couldn't do that. He wanted the ranger at the peak of health.

Deker stopped in his tracks and, with the green life of the forest around him, he sprung at high speeds to the mountaintop. His pacing was excellent, and his mind was focused. He reached the peak of the mountain, and lifted his hand, wielding his word Urumasa, and uncovered the handle of the great blade. He took Urumasa out of its protective shield, and the sun sparkled on it, almost blinding Deker. He chuckled and smiled with the delight of one day tasting the red rangers blood on his blade.

"Urumassa...I have found the place for the duel. Now the time will be decided." Deker said, smirking.

Deker let his arm go back to his side and placed the sword back in its protective shield. His smile faded, and his mind continued to stay focused. He concentrated real hard, closing his eyes, his long, black hair bouncing off his cheekbones. His mind remained focused, and felt a sparkle of light engulf his body. Deker opened his eyes, and caught the blue mist disappearing into thin air. He looked at his hand, now armored with white and red streaks, followed with his arm in pure white armor. Urumasa was no longer in his hand, on upon his back. He reached his hand over his head, grabbed Urumasa by the handle, and pulled it into the sunlight again.

"Urumasa, my trusty sword, if I want to have my duel, I need to be stronger."

Then, a spark of light came from nowhere...and a scream shattered the forest. Deker turned sharply. Someone was fighting a Nighlok.

Deker sprung down from the mountaintop, winds filling his red face with roaring effects, and his body free-falling in the sunlight. He hit the ground, and dust flew from under him. He picked himself up, and placed Urumasa in front of him, ready for battle. For anything.

Then, a laugh filled the air. As Deker could hear, it was Octoroo, the main minion of Master Xandred and his Mooger clan. Octoroo's laugh filled the forest with fear, but Deker wasn't afraid. He was never afraid of a good challenge that little squid would give him.

Master Xandred is looking for me, Deker thought. He sent the noodle-face crony to deal with me.

Deker walked slowly to the edge of the forest, and could hear the sounds of agony. Of pain. Suffering. But it wasn't a familiar voice...then it was. This voice was of a human, but none Deker had heard before, then he had heard the voice. It sounded like it was him making the noises. It was his voice.

No, it wasn't him. It was someone else. Deker peaked through the bushes of the green forest, and Octoroo was walking towards a figure on the other end of the woods.

"Hmm." Deker mumbled to himself.

Octoroo's long staff was pointed towards the object. It was indeed a human, but its face was not clearly seen. Deker gripped Urumasa, ready to spring out at the squid...but then caught sight of the human.

It was a male, about in his twenties. He had bruises and scratches on his face. He was wearing a red short-sleeved and torn shirt, while his blue jean pants had holes in the knees and smudges of dirt all about them. He had long hair just above his neck, and his green eyes were visible with pain. His shoes were brown, and his forehead had a dirty and torn red bandanna. This man was like Deker himself. It was him.

The Moogers now blocked the way to get around the path to Octoroo, and Deker pulled back from the bushes, releasing his grip to the point Urumasa almost fell on the ground, but Deker saw this and caught it in time. Deker was shocked. He was the one being attacked. No. It was the human being attacked, looking like Deker himself.

"There must be a difference." Deker whispered, and peaked back into view of the scene before him.

Indeed, there was a difference. The human, as Deker could see, was not as hairy as himself. He had no trace of a short black beard as Deker had. Their eyes were the same color, but their faces were different. Too different.

"Prepare for your demise, human. Even you could never defeat the Nighlok without a purpose." Octoroo said, evil in his squid voice, gripping the human by his head.  
>Blood was clearly seen on Octooroo's hand.<p>

Deker remained at his position, gripping Urumassa tightly, feeling the sweat on his armored palms. Then, the human spoke. His voice wasn't as deep as Deker's, but their voices matched. The same.

"Back then...I had a purpose. To...destroy...the...Orgs. Monsters like...you. I'm a guardian of the Earth."

"A guardian?" Deker whispered, continuing his position.

Octoroo slammed the human back on the cold ground, and the human groaned. Octoroo switched his staff to his right hand.

"Hmph. That's how you want to play?"

Deker grew furious. It was a rage he had kept hidden for so long. Longer than any Nighlok's life at that. It scared Deker as much as the human was scared of Octooroo.

Octoroo let up his staff again, and pointed it at the human's head. In between his eyes. Deker caught the human closing his eyes. Now, he was confused.

"What's this? The human is a Nighlok? Like me?"

The human spoke, breathless. "If I am to die, here I will rest."

Octoroo laughed. The soldiers laughed as well. Some threw their arms in the air and laughed. The human kept his eyes closed. This was no laughing matter to Deker. It would have been had the human not look like him, but Deker felt close to this human. But of what, nothing could be thought.

Is he ready to meet his fate? Deker thought. Just as I?

Octoroo laughed again, and twisted his staff to the right angle. Deker had no idea why this human, this look-alike, wasn't fighting. He was holding his own, but not trying to fight back. It seemed like forever had passed until Octoroo spoke again.

"Where's your Power Rangers now, human?"

Deker was furious. His mind was blank. His eyes were fury. His head spinning in confusion. His sword gripped more tightly than before.

Then, Deker lost control of his cravings.

One Mooger, two Moogers, three Moogers. Swiped down at the blow of Urumasa. One Mooger, two Moogers. Blood curled around the blade of Urumasa, and hit the side of a small stump, knocking it clean out of place. It flew away, and Deker was craving more and more. Moogers with swords. Deker twirled in place and felt the fire around him, and he slashed, and the blood was on the ground. Moogers were in front of him one second, and the next they laid in a pool of blood and pain. Octoroo was now seen in view. Deker's heart was pounding harder and harder with every swipe of the sword he landed on the Moogers. He could only see the human through bloodied Moogers.

Yells. Screams. Gasps. Agony. Pain. Cravings. Deker was enjoying himself.

Deker swiped one time, and Octoroo was pushed away from the human...but not before he saw the human's lips move, but he couldn't make the words. He turned back to Octooroo, who had landed in the thick dense bushes near the dirt grounds. Deker's cravings were almost at a peak, but, he needed more. Deker pointed Urumassa at Octoroo's face, and it wasn't long until Octoroo threw his hands up in mercy. Just as Deker liked it.

Octoroo kept gasping and screaming. His pant's were short. The soldiers were dead beside him.

"Y-You! W-W-What are you doing here?"

Deker thought of the words to say, but killing Octoroo would interfere with the Master's plans. He came up with a fast solution.

"Octoroo...you will not hurt the human...but I will."

Deker heard the human gasp, and he turned. The human was now sitting upright, but was clutching his chest in agony. Deker pointed Urumasa at him. Teasing him.

If only I could say I don't want to hurt you, Deker thought. You wouldn't understand my wrath.

The human didn't move away, but stared at Deker with a warrior's spirit in his eyes. Deker almost paused in his tracks from this, but let out a chuckle instead, remembering his duel with the red ranger was to be at hand.

Then, it happened too fast.

"Fire smasher!" A familiar voice yelled in the distance.

Deker stopped in his tracks for good, hearing the red ranger's voice. "What?"

Then, fire raged across the forest. The red ranger shot it from miles away. Deker gripped Urumasa.

Octoroo's voice rang out among the roars of the fire. "Oh no!"

The human gasped and looked at the fire roaring towards them.

Deker lifted Urumasa above his head...and swiped down. The flames of the fire speard past him, the hot coals burning the sides of his armored legs. The heat intense. The red ranger was seen in the distance among the heat waves.

Then...another scream.

It was the human.

Deker gasped...and saw the human being thrown feet away from where he stood. Octoroo sneaked into the gap of a nearby rock. Deker let Urumasa down at his side.

He raced across the forest at blinding speed, forgetting the red ranger for now. It was his destiny to fight, yes, but not until that human was safe. Deker felt the winds roar at him, as the fire died down among him. A blue mist surrounded him, and Urumasa's protective shield was back in his left hand as Urumasa was in his right. His armored feet now was turned into black boots. Deker stopped running, and the human was infront of him.

Deker gripped Urumasa and walked towards him slowly, seeing the blood rushing out of his head. He crouchd beside the human, who was face down in the dirt, and touched the bloody patch on his head.

Deker looked at the blood placed upon his fingers. He was certain the human was indeed human.

"Hmm. Dark blood. Warrior." Deker said.

The human groaned, and sweat poured from his face. Or was that Deker himself.

Deker touched his own face, and indeed it was sweat coming from his own pores. The fire had gotten him sweating as did the human. Deker was human too, but half-Nighlok. This was a full human.

The human groaned again, and Deker grabbed the human's side...but only to hear a pulsing scream...and his hand bloodied.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Time. Night.<strong>

Cole had felt the cold hands for half the night. He wanted to grab the hands and see who was responsible for kidnapping him. No. It was kidnap. Maybe a friendly greeting.

Cole groaned as he tried to move his body, but no use came again. It was time to sleep some more, and Cole's eyes did so.

Deker walked over to the human's limp, but alive, body and touched his forehead. He was steaming with a fever. More over 110. Deker had known only three cures for sickness. One was to throw the sick one into a lake and let the fever cool. Two was to let the fever fade with herbs collected in the forest plants. Three was to let a person's hands touch the sick one's face for almost every hour.

Deker was doing the third option.

He had done the first, but he used all the herbs collected for the human's torn and bloodied right side and bloodied head. He never attempted to try the second option, for he'd have to hold down the human in order for the fever to fade. And the nearest lake was twelve miles away.

It was already late, and Deker tired from the long day. The human was just as tired.

Deker became lost in thought. He let his hands back down to his sides and stared at the bright moon shining in the dark sky. No Nighlok liked the moon, but Deker liked to see it. He knew the moon was a gateway to his soul. But, Deker still pondered: Was the human, this look alike, anything like him?  
>Continuing to crouch near the human's body, Deker placed his hands, once again, on the human's forehead and pressed gently.<p>

The cold feeling of my hands will release his fever, Deker thought. I'm sure of it.

The cold feeling lets my hot feeling be released, Cole thought. I'm sure of it.

* * *

><p><strong>Morning.<strong>

Cole remained in the same position he was the night before. Deker remained in his position against a tree nearby. They both were asleep, and letting their tired bodies rest and recover.

Deker stirred a little, and could hear everything around him come to life: the sounds of birds, grass swaying, wind, as cold as it was, pouncing into his skin. He opened his eyes, and realized the human was not a dream of his. The human remained where he was, and Deker now knew his blood lust was raging in him. Preparing to spring into action within him once again. He still wasn't satisfied. Deker grabbed Urumasa, which was next to him on the ground, and stood up. His legs were stiff and ached from the day before. Deker had seen humans die to Nighloks, but what Nighlok's didn't know was that humans can live among them, as they have been for centuries. The human remained asleep, and Deker walked towards him.

Cole had been asleep for what it seemed like ages. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyes betrayed him again, but also seemed to follow commands at the same time. Cole still felt a little hot, and his muscles ached. His right side ached the most. His head's pounding died down. He then heard footsteps near him.

Deker could hear the human breathing.

Cole could hear something breathing.

Deker looked at the human deep in the face.

Cole could tell something was deep in his face.

Deker placed his free hand on the human's forehead.

Cole felt a cold feeling...but also a hand.

His eyes flew open. Deker gasped.

Cole pounced back at quick speed, and Deker pounced back and, with quick instinct, drew Urumasa from its protective shield. He swirled Urumasa, teasing the human, and smiled. Cole was defenseless, no weapons on him except his instincts, and clutched his side in pain. He looked down, and his right side was torn, bare flesh torn from him. Cole also felt the herbs stinging his side.

Deker gripped Urumasa, waiting for the human to attack, his blood lust raging inside.

"You wont hurt me. You have a heart." Cole said, breathless.

"You know nothing about me," Deker said, gripping his sword. "No human knows about me."

Cole's crouching position got the best of him, and he fell onto his hands and knees. The dirt felt cold on his hot skin. Deker smirked, and realized the human was too weak to fight him.

"I see. Even you wouldn't fight a human." Deker said, lowering Urumasa.

"Arn't you?" Cole asked, catching his breath.

"No. I'm half-human. But unlike you, I have only one goal."

"What do you mean?"

"You humans are always helping yourself with goals. Hopes and dreams, you might say. That's why Master Xandred has re-awakened."

"Well...unlike you, I have only one goal, too. I'm hoping to find peace with myself, as I have searched for for many years."

Deker looked at the human in confusion. One side of him was raging to kill the human, but the other seemed like he wanted to spare his life. Deker decided to take the easy way out.

He walked towards the human and put Urumasa back in its protective shield. Cole tried to crawl back from the mysterious man, but nothing came of use. Deker was now three inches from the human. Cole looked the man dead in the eyes.

"I think you'll survive. You've got a warrior's spirit. And if you don't survive, that's your fault, not mine."

Then Deker left. He walked to the hollow trees he had stayed at before. Cole took at deep breath, and he fell back on the ground with a loud groan. His fever ached his body, and Cole felt the herbs stinging his side rougher than before. Cole caught a glimpse of the man, for he was looking at the human in a glimpse as well. Cole saw that the sword had blood on its handle. Deker grabbed a fern leaf and rubbed it against the handle, removing the blood.

"I'll get better," Cole mumbled. "You wait and see."

"You'll die, human," Deker mumbled. "You wait and see."


	3. Chapter 3: Wait, The River's Rising

CHAPTER 3: WAIT, THE RIVER'S RISING

**Present Time. Night.**

Cole's fever continued to stay active. His body heat increased as the day pressed on, but the cold nights of the forest let his body heat cool as well, along with Deker's cold hands pressing against his forehead. Cole had no need to strike at this mysterious human, for Cole had sensed his heart, and that was all that mattered to him.

Deker's blood lust was dying down, but he knew by morning he'd have to find something to satisfy it. It seemed as though the night lasted forever, and Deker grew furious every time he opened his eyes and saw the darkness. Not a hint of sunlight in sight. Deker had hard times getting to sleep, and this night was no exception to him. He'd also see, through the thick darkness, the human look-alike lying on the ground. His stomach moved in and out, his breathing almost shallow. Deker sensed it.

Cole tried to get to sleep, despite that the cool night air was frozen against his face, fighting the fever back at every second. Cole opened his heavy green eyes, and this time his eyes didn't close on him, but only remained awake long enough to see the thick darkness surrounding him, and the man on the far side of the clearing sleeping against a tree. The sounds of the forest were quiet on this night, and nothing, not even a cry of a wolf or the hoot of an owl, pierced it. Cole felt his body turn from burning to shivering cold at almost every other second, then the hot feeling would return and stay for a minute, then the cold feeling returned. Cole tried to sit up from his hot feeling, but his body betrayed him as it already had. He lifted his left hand, not betraying him, and it felt numb against the cool air. Cole then saw his hand: red, bruised, scarred, and shaking. Then, he realized his legs twitching. His arms twitching. His waist twitching. His whole body was shaking. No. It was only the beginning.

Deker couldn't keep his eyes closed, and he sighed deeply, giving up on sleeping for the night. He waited too long for daylight to come, and he wanted it to come now. He fixed his eyes on the human after grabbing Urumasa beside him. The human was like that of a statue: in a position he couldn't get out of. Deker pulled back a string of his black hair and placed it behind his ear, then he stood up and walked over to the human. The human kept looking at his hand, and Deker looked at him with  
>a confusion he never felt.<p>

"Why are you looking at your hand?" Deker asked, tilting his sword in hand.

Cole looked up from his hand and into the face of the man. "I'm dying."

Deker was now even more confused, but something in him was satisfied. He never felt a more urge to kill than now. His blood lust raged within him. It had a way of returning fast.

"Your body is weak, and it's only a matter of time before you get weaker. Until you are at your best, your body will die, and then your mind will die. And then you will die." He said.

Cole took these words in, and realized he was indeed shaking all over his body. His legs were numb and his torn side was oozing out more herbs than blood. But the herbs couldn't save him. Nothing could.

"Tell me what to do." Cole said, placing his numb hand back on the ground. He never felt an impact.

Deker chuckled. "You want to save yourself? Fine. Then get up."

"W-What? I-I-I can't."

Cole now felt a great chill on his skin, and it was now cooling his insides. But his heart remained warm. It was the only thing that was warm on him. Deker saw how the human was shaking, and the shakes were killing him.

"Get up. You need to show your body you don't want to die." Deker said, almost reaching the tip of his sword, ready to kill.

Cole saw this. "If the shakes won't kill me, you will."

"Just do as I say. You'll thank me for it."

Cole breathed deep, but his breath was cut short by a shallow cough. As he tried to catch his breath, it seemed as if his breath was betraying him, leaving him with nothing more than a few cool puffs of his breath to breathe in. Cole groaned and moved his numb legs, the ground not visible under him. He folded his legs near his chest as he tried to sit up, and this time he succeeded in doing so, the man looking on with a smile on his face.

Deker watched as the human was now showing his body that he's boss, and, smiling, his hand gripped his sword's tip, and eased it out of its protective shield.

Cole saw the man pull out his sword slowly, and knew he was done. For if he didn't die in the midst of those monsters days ago, he was to die here in the clearing now. He managed to get one of his feet firmly on the ground, then the other followed, the man not lifting a finger and standing where he was with his almost-drawn sword. Cole managed to use a nearby tree as support for his body, and he clasped his numb hands to the tree, telling when the time was right to stand up.

Deker was waiting for the human to rise and stand, but it seemed forever had beaten him to it.

Cole eased his body up, and, catching his breath, he stood upright, his hands on the tree and his feet planted firmly on the ground. Then, he let go of the tree...and felt himself falling.

As quick as the wind hits a tree branch, Cole fell on the ground, and sensed his numb body couldn't control his limbs. He tried to stop himself, but it came to no use. He tried to put his hands infront of him, but they only betrayed him and lifted within seconds of Cole hitting the cold and thick ground, feeling the dirt hit his face and mouth. Cole tried to sit up, but nothing came of use. His numb body was more than stiff, and his neck betrayed him when he tried to lift it up to see the mysterious  
>human in the dark forest, wielding a sword bigger than himself.<p>

"Your weaker than I thought." Deker said, his hand still on the tip of his sword.

Deker eased his sword out of its protective shield and its blade stood out in the thick darkness, the red coating blinding the silver coating. Deker took Urumasa in both hands, and, turning the silver coating towards himself and red coating towards the human, he slashed.

Cole saw the sword come towards him as his hands remained by his face. He couldn't barely lift them to stop the impact. Cole saw the red coating on the sword, and knew his blood would blend in soon enough. He closed his eyes tight, and prayed not a word but of what was in his head: redemption.

Cole felt the sword come down, but not on his body. The winds off the sword blazed off of his numb and shaking body and into his face, and he opened his eyes with protection, yet concern.

Deker stood there, and his sword was already in attack, but it hit a nearby branch full of herbs.

Cole tried to sit up again, but he was betrayed once again by his own numb body. He began to feel his heart turn cold on its fingertips.

"Now," Deker said. "Take the herbs onto your skin. The feeling will return."

"I can't move." Cole said, almost feeling his mouth shut completely against his numb lips.

"Try."

Cole looked at the ground. He felt like he was hopeless, for he felt his heart turn colder and colder each second he laid there, swelling in defeat. But something inside told him one simple message he had followed for the past years: Never Give Up. Cole began to lift his body, and placed his numb hands on the ground, looking at them as he saw them hit the ground. He felt no impact of his hands, and he felt his own breath choking him as he tried to breathe in the cold night air. As Cole lifted his body, he had almost reached Deker's waist...but fell back on the ground. His arms had given out.

"Hmm. I see." Deker said, watching Cole as he put his sword back in his protective shield.

Deker walked over to Cole, Urumasa in hand, and bent down before him. He placed Urumasa on the cold ground, and grabbed some herbs, that were clumped together in piles, from the forest floor. Cole saw this, but couldn't bare to keep breathing any longer. His own soul was choking him.

Deker lifted Cole's neck with his other hand, and raised Cole high enough so he could see his face. He looked at him for a moment, then the herbs. He placed some on his fingertips, and rubbed them against Cole's fevered neck.

Cole felt a burning sensation engulf his neck. It felt like fire had torched him. It was hotter than his own fever. It was so painful tears swelled up in his green eyes.  
>It was the choking that had left Cole in tears, and it was the burning feeling that left his tears swelled, but Cole also felt himself going away. He felt his heart turn colder than before. A tear fell down Cole's face, and went past his chin and to his burning neck. It cooled the burning for only a second, and then the sensation returned. It was stronger than before. Cole did not realize another tear had come down his face, for he was only concerned on his soul and heart. But also his mind.<p>

Deker saw this. He had never seen a human cry before. Or at the most before him. Deker felt his fingers touch the human's fevered neck, and his fingertips were burning. He was used to that feeling.

Deker had put herbs on his wounds many times before. What was the difference?

"Why do you cry, human? The Sanzu River will rise because of you."

"I am sad. I will leave my friends and the ones I love on this Earth. But I am happy, for I will see my parents for the first time in twenty-three years."

Cole coughed, but managed to lift his neck so it wouldn't make the mysterious man sick. His life was fading away.

Deker continued his rubbing. It seemed as he was to start crying.

It took some time, but Deker managed to rub the herbs onto the human's neck and bare arms. The rest he'd have to figure out himself. Cole felt his neck losing balance, then his eyes. Deker saw this.

"You, brave warrior, shall not perish. You want to see your family, but what do they have that you don't? And your friends on this Earth? I'm surprised you have any."

"Yes...six of them."

Cole could feel his heart turn colder. Then, without warning, he felt his body float into the sky.

* * *

><p><strong>The Neverworld.<strong>

Master Xandred slammed his foot down in disgust, causing the worn down and red boat he called his home to rock and rumble in place across the Sanzu River waters. Dayu managed to catch her balance as she gripped a support beam quickly, holding her harmonium in her other hand. She was playing it very smoothly until this point.

Octoroo was in the corner. He maintained his balance as he carried a brown book in his old and clammy hands. He was going to read it, but it seemed as if his boss had a better plan for him and Dayu.

"Arahh! I'm so angry! I've done everything in my power to destroy those power pests called Samurai Rangers! I need my medicine! Octoroo!" Master Xandred yelled to the top of his lungs. His voice was very gruff.

"Right away, boss." Octoroo said, putting down his book and going over to a bowl fixed over a fire. He poured a white liquid into the bowl and, with a tube, added some Sanzu River water. It was only a few seconds before the medicine was done.

"Order up! Medicine for the angry big red guy!"

"Funny." Dayu said, sitting back onto the bench and replayed her music. It was the only thing that satisfied her.

"Hmm, I see you're in a good mood, Octoroo. What's the catch?" Master Xandred asked, taking the bowl of medicine.

He gulped it down fast and set the bowl down in front of him.

"Well?"

"Well...I did a great thing for our escape to Earth. I think I destroyed a human."

Master Xandred looked at him. "Was it half-human?"

"It looked like him. Voice and everything."

Dayu gasped. Could it be who she thought it was?

"Hmm, if the river rises I'll see to your bravery. Until then, you're not a killer in my eyes."

Master Xandred took another sip of his medicine. The last drop was gone.

"Oh, but, boss, the river has risen three inches. It seemed as though that human cried himself into an early grave."

Dayu scoffed. "Deker wouldn't die so easily. No one should underestimate him."

"I think it was Deker. But then again, it's possible for a Nighlok to shave. The human didn't exactly have Deker's facial hair, and only Sanzu knows he's had it for some time. Ohh-Ahh-Ohh."

Master Xandred arose from his sitting stance and walked to the window of the ship. His feet pounded the floor with thumps of agony. His red sword gripped at his side.

"Deker's not dead until I kill him myself. Then I'll let the Moogers eat the rest of him."

Dayu's strumming halted. "Are you joking?"

Master Xandred scoffed. "Not even you could like him. He's not of any concern to you."

He went back to his cabin under the thin blanket near the deck. Octoroo went back to the medicine table and picked up the brown book.

"I'd be careful, Dayu. You've talked to Deker behind the master's back."

"Just leave me alone. Go back to your reading."

"Gladly. But I think that human I destroyed has a link to Deker. I'll look and see in the archives."

Dayu ignored Octoroo's words and continued strumming. But the words of Master Xandred struck her in the heart, if she still had one.

I better check on Deker tomorrow, Dayu thought. I'll first make the Samurai Rangers bleed on my music.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Time. Day. Twenty-four hours later.<strong>

Deker groaned from his sleepless night. He had been through sleepless nights before, but this one pained him so deep in the heart. He was feeling his muscles ache and his sword Urumasa was in his hands. He walked deep into the forest, leaving the wooded area he and the human were at for now, waiting to one day pass by it again. It would have been the spot of the ultimate duel, but now, thanks to the human, it was out of Deker's mind.

As he passed vines and trees with green moss clutched onto the bark, he spotted the riverside. He had traveled here many times, and Deker knew which way the river would take him if he happened to follow it. But he wasn't intending on following it for now, he was going to the river for another purpose. He walked onto the rocks and felt the sun strike his face, burning his skin. He placed Urumassa on a rock, and looked out into the clearing. Then, he heard a noise.

Cole had been in the water for some time. He opened his green eyes, no longer heavy, and sat up, without any pressure, in the cool and clear blue waters. He saw green specks floating in the water, and suspected it was the herbs. Indeed, it was. He let his hand go to his head, which continued to ache and throb. He let out a groan and felt his arm touch the back of his head, rubbing his neck. Cole was soaked, and his bandanna was trickling water down his neck and to his forearm, hitting the scares the wolf gave him. He then realized his numb feeling was gone, and his body no longer shaking from the cool breeze that hit the trees and his face. He saw Deker leaning against the rocks on the shore and, gently and assuredly, crouched up and sat upright. He was feeling the water hitting his pants legs and his shoes were soaked and muddy as well as his pants and shirt. He also was covered in green specks of herbs. Come to think of it, his side no longer felt rough from the herbs, but it stung a little in the process.

"It took you long enough." Deker said, grabbing Urumassa from the rock.

"Where are we?" Cole asked, finally feeling his breath go back to normal. His heart was warm.

"The riverside. We're close to a city, you should get some help there."

Deker started to turn away. Cole walked out of the water and towards the mysterious man. He was slower, yes, but faster than what he felt the last couple of days.

"Wait! How are you like me? I never knew there were Nighloks around."

Deker stopped in his tracks and looked at him. "You know of your own kind. Go back to them."

He began to walk away again, this time heading into the forest. The leaves and ferns blocked his view, but finally made way for his eyes to see again.

Cole was confused. He wanted answers, but it seemed the mystery man had no answers himself. He followed him past the ferns, trees, and leaves until he finally saw him in the distance, standing upon a log and looking into the clearing.

"I don't need you to follow me," Deker said. "Leave me."

"I have nowhere else. You said we were after one goal, right?" Cole asked, coming up behind the log.

"I said that you and I were both after our own goals. Mine isn't like that of yours."

Deker now twisted his head so he could see behind him. The human was near him once more. He stepped off the log, and watched the dirt fly from it.

"You wouldn't survive a day here in these woods." Deker said, smirking. Realizing the human wants to stay.

"I know more than you think." Cole said, stepping up towards the log.

As Cole was on one side, Deker was on the other. They looked at one another and it seemed as though they'd stare at each other forever. They were both look alikes, but it wasn't like they were brothers, because they don't know each other.

"How is it you look like me? Talk like me?" Deker asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know. But maybe there was a time our ancestors knew each other." Cole said, not moving.

"Well, then, I guess you can stay. Just don't hurt yourself or get killed in the process."

"I won't. And if I do, I will be happy knowing I'll see the family I love."

"And if I do, you must go on without a word about me. You'd be on your own."

"Who are you, anyway?"

"It doesn't matter until I know you."

"I'm Cole. Cole Evans. Son of Richard and Elisabeth Evans, who are no longer on this Earth. I never knew them. But most importantly, I'm what you call a veteran. I'm a Wild Force Power Ranger, and I defeated the evil Master Org with my team. My powers are gone, so I won't harm you."

Deker took all this in, but he was shocked beyond belief when the human, this "Cole", said he was once a Ranger. He wanted to face this man, but instead he smirked.

"I am Deker, nothing more, nothing less."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Time. Night.<strong>

As Cole switched positions to not get tangled in the flames of the campfire, Deker watched on as he and Cole were destined to find a better place. Together.

But something about this made Deker sick to his stomach. He had wandered alone for years, not minding the humans of the city and always found ways for the humans not to spot him in the forest. He wanted to kill the human, for his cravings had come back to him time and again, but he still couldn't do it. He watched as Cole fell into a deep sleep and placed Urumasa by his side as he continued to ponder on his next move. But a sound in the distance stopped the pondering.

Dayu appeared from the shadows of the night in the lush green forest, her feet stepping on leaves and pine-cones that would stick to a normal human's foot. She held her harmonium in hand, and stood there in the shadows, looking at Deker.

Deker turned his head, and, from the shadows, he saw her. He picked up Urumasa and walked towards her, looking back at the human for a few seconds. She touched his shoulders with her red and black hands, her harmonium stroking the side.

"Who is that?" She whispered.

"A human. Cole is his name, and I saved him." Deker said, looking back at Cole, who remained asleep.

Dayu released her grip on Deker's shoulders and brought her harmonium to her chest. "Oh, Deker, you're going to be trouble to Master Xandred."

"I thought I already was."

Indeed, Deker had been a thorn in Master Xandred's side since he kept interfering with the Master's plans to destroy the Samurai Rangers. Since he helped the rangers with Robtish, the Scottish Nighlok, Master Xandred hated him since. And now, Master Xandred wanted to kill him. He had tried to send Moogers to destroy him, but Deker destroyed them in turn. Since he escaped the Sanzu River in human form, Deker remained hidden away in the forest, Dayu coming to check on him once in  
>awhile.<p>

"I see. Deker, you shouldn't do this. Helping a human will only make the master angrier." Dayu said.

"Let him be angry. After all, he's not the one whose half-human. And that's what tormented him to kill me in the first place." Deker said, smirking and looking Dayu dead in the eyes.

"I hope your right." Dayu said, stroking her harmonium.

"You should go. I will see you soon." Deker said, walking away from Dayu and back to the campfire.

"Soon?"

"Yes. I'll pay Master Xandred a visit, and then I'll explain my plan."

Dayu clutched her harmonium tighter. She was now nervous than ever before. She wanted to help Deker, but staying away from Master Xandred means he'd send the Moogers after her. And if she tried to stay with Deker, he'd tell her to go back to the ship.

"I'll strike at those Samurai Rangers. I know I can do it." Dayu said, laughter in her voice.

Deker stopped in his tracks and looked at her, puzzled. He then smiled. "Do as you wish. But remember what they did to you last time."

"I remember." Dayu said, turning away from Deker and back towards the dense woods.

It was true that Dayu could have been destroyed by the Samurai Rangers, but Deker saved her from their attacks. They left, and since then, Dayu still questioned him why he did so. Only Deker knew that answer. It was only some time afterward he started to target the red Samurai Ranger.

Deker continued to walk towards the campfire, but he stopped for a second to turn around. He didn't see Dayu no longer in the shadows.

"If only you knew my feelings for you." He said.

Dayu walked back towards the clearing and to a tree split in half. She got furious at Master Xandred's words so much, she couldn't help it. She looked back towards the campfire, which was now a speck of light in the far distance. She looked at the fire with fear, then she felt rage.

She had remembered it like it was yesterday:

_Fire. Smoke. _Urumasa_. Harmonium. Water well. Specks of light on Deker._

Then, her memory ceased. She didn't want to think of it anymore. She looked at him in the distance, wielding his sword. He sat before the campfire like he was lost in another world.

"If only you knew the truth, Deker. I'm so sorry."


	4. Chapter 4: Stranger Tides

CHAPTER 4: STRANGER TIDES

**Neverworld.**

Dayu strummed her harmonium just as she pleased. She had done so for the past few hours, but she didn't care about it. All she cared about now was Deker. The one she loved.

Octoroo stood upon the floor, his little body upright as always, and read the brown archive book, holding it with his two clammy and old hands. He gleefully chuckled at the sights of words before him. He couldn't hold back his excitement.

"Of course! The last red Samurai Ranger didn't do it right! He didn't seal Master Xandred permenantly, so there's a chance of us to escape this cruel world! Isn't it lovely, Dayu? I must tell the big guy! Oh, he'll finally get me a promotion to kill the Samurai Rangers!"

But Dayu was of no interest. She barly even heard his words come out right.

"Dayu, are you thinking of your boyfriend again?" Octoroo asked.

Dayu stopped strumming. She heard those words. "My boyfriend? How dare you mock me!"

Dayu had had enough of Octoroo's insults for one day. She emerged from the bench, quick as lightning, and drew the blade from her harmonium. It was a little blade, but it could slash anyone in her way. She slashed out at Octoroo, who backed away, slowly, but effectivly. Octoroo almost held the archive book in his face for protection, but realized it too would be destroyed. He let it down at his sides and used his little body's motion to back away from the enraged Nighlok before him.

"You'll pay for what you just said!" Dayu kept slashig out at the little squid, waiting for his blood to cover her blade.

The thought of it made her chuckle. She felt her heart turn cold.

"Dayu!" A voice called.

Dayu gasped and let down her weapon. She knew she was defeated. "Master Xandred."

Indeed, Master Xandred came into the room, his feet stamping the wooden floor. He had come from his sleeping corners to check the noises he had been hearing. He was full of rage for not destroying the Samurai Rangers before, and the sight of the two Nighlok's before him made him angrier. He was about to yell, until he got an idea.

He walked towards Dayu and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "If there's one thing I like about you, it's your temper."

"Well, I..." Dayu began, but her words trailed off, thinking about Deker again.

"Enough. Octoroo, any hope in those things the humans call books?"

"I found the ancient text stating that the Samurai Ranger red's father didn't use the sealing symbol correctly. If we can find a way to break his family's symbol, we'll be out of here in no time." Octoroo said, walking across the floor and to the book shelf, where he placed the book back in its correct place.

Dayu walked back over to the bench. She sighed as she put the blade of her harmonium back in the instrument. As she continued to strum, she felt at peace. But it only lasted for a second.

"Stop strumming, Dayu, and get back out there! We need to be rid of that half-human menice!" Master Xandred yelled, weilding his red sword.

Dayu gasped. Her harmony was indeed ruined. She wanted to bit her lip, but she had none to bite on.

"Dayu, that's an order! I want you to destroy that half-human and bring his dead body to me!" Master Xandred paced across the floor, waiting for an answer.

"Ohh-ahh-ohh, Deker's too tough! He'll kill us all in one slash of his sword! He did that to the Moogers a few days ago." Octoroo said, his hands infront of him, walking to his master.

Dayu was now confused with her own soul. If she was to fight Deker, she'd never forgive herself. And if she didn't fight him, she'd never be forgiven by the master.

"Fine." She grumbled.

Dayu stood upright and took her time walking across the floor. A part of her didn't want to fight the man she loved. She made way past the deck, not caring about anyone on the ship except her right at the moment.

As Dayu walked away from the two Nighloks, she heard voices. It came from Octoroo, whose voice was easy to hear, and Master Xandred, whose voice wasn't to be heard a lot during the day. As she stopped in her tracks, she put her back against the wall.

She couldn't help but to hear their secret conversation:

"You know she still remembers her past, Master. We should be careful." Octoroo said.

"'We'? How about you? Your the one always making her angry. If she wants to remember her past, so be it. But she wont live long enough to see it come back to her. Ever."

"I hope you're right, boss. Ohh-ahh-ooh. I've got a lump in my throat that she'll never be the same again."

Dayu snickered, hearing enough, and stroked her harmonium. "Well then," She whispered. "I'll do whatever it takes."

**Present Time. Day.**

Cole had put the finishing touches on his wounds. The herbs he found nearby left him fully aware that he was in a very dense part of the forest. One he wouldn't know how to get out of. Not without Deker. He rubbed the green material on a sore on his bare and muscled arm. It was near his elbow. Cole whinced as it touched the wound, stinging it, making it kill the sore's soul just as his soul would have been killed.

Cole felt better than before, and looked around sometimes during the day to see that he could stand on his two feet again and he could sense his heart was pure again. His breathing was better, and his side didn't hrt as much. But his side did leave its mark, and it still oozed out some blood. Cole had tried to out the green herbs on it, but it stung worse than ever before. He never attempted it again. His head had stopped throbbing for the moment since he ate on some of the herbs.

As he continued to apply the herbs on his arm, he remembered Deker speaking to him.

**Hours Before. Morning.**

The sun had just begun to rise. Purple and brown streaks covered the figertips of the sky, and it would not fade until the sun was tired and the moon would reappear. Cole remained asleep on the ground, but his eyes were open while they were closed. Cole had little time to worry about his condition, for all he could think about was sleep. He smelled the smoke rising from the campfire, the flames faded into dust. He switched positions and landed onto his back, making his hair fall back from his face.

Deker walked towards Cole, Urumassa in hand. He had been awake for hours. He stood an inch from Cole and looked down at him, but didn't intend to wake him.

"I'm going to meditate on the hill for awhile. It's only a mile away. You can follow me, but don't get lost on your way back." He said.

Cole heard these words clearly. He opened his eyes for a second, and nodded as he switched positions again, this time lying on his side.

Deker left, and didn't care how much the human, that "Cole", hated it: he wasn't coming back.

**Present Time. Day.**

Cole hadn't felt the trees in a long time. His sickness let him almost forget what the feeling of a tree was like. He held his body onto a tree branch, that shook some pine cones from the other branches in the process, and climbed to the top of the tree.

Step by step, branch by branch, Cole let his hands grip the branches and his feet not fall flat against the trunk. He groaned as he climbed, allowing his strength to be yet again come back, since he still felt weak in his limbs. He grabbed onto another branch, this one almost as big as the sky, and pulled himself up by one hand. He was that strong. His whole body was on that one branch, and nothing could stop Cole from reaching the top. He looked up, he was almost there. He looked down, he was really high up. About five feet. He crawled on his hands and knees to the tip of the branch.

He could see the specks of the forest floor. Some small trees had green shadows that shined brightly in the sunlight. A bird flew past Cole, and went into the top of the tree, where Cole was destined. He saw a branch ranging right above the one he already was on, and threw his hand out to grab it. He touched it, but only for a second. He heard crumbling noises. Something had gone wrong.

Then, Cole felt himself falling.

**Elsewhere. Field.**

Deker had been sitting on the hill for hours, and smiled to himself for only a second, realizing just how much of a Nighlok he really is, leaving the human in the forest alone. He had no one to care about but himself.

"I don't need a human running around me." Deker said, gripping Urumassa.

He looked at it. "It's time, Urumassa. We must find the red Ranger and duel him. Only now we must find him."

Deker held his position on the hill. He was prepared for the duel. The duel he wanted so badly.

**Elsewhere. Forest.**

Cole gripped the branch. He held on so tight his fingers began to hurt. He looked down, and the branch was gone. It broke in half.

Not as sturdy as I thought, Cole thought. Not as much.

Cole felt himself slipping, and clasped his hand tighter on the branch. His palms were sweating from the grip. Groaning at every second, Cole decided it was time to let go. But another side of him said the same thing he was taught: Never Give Up.

Cole smiled to himself, and gripped the branch tighter. He pulled up with his two hands, his muscles aching as he put his weight onto them. He moved his legs to gain balance and strengh back to them. He groaned, then yelled, as his muscles began to burn, and his hands began to bleed.

He finally made it, throwing his legs around each side of the branch, but to the cost of splinters hurting his hands. He looked at them, the splinters were in deep. His hands were red, and blood mixed in. He set them down and looked around him. Everything was the same as it was. He looked at the clearing, how beautiful it was this high up in the tree. The specks of dirt on the ground were the same as always. But then, a white spot caught Cole's eye.

"Deker!" He exclaimed.

Cole looked around. He wanted to find the one thing he was good at, and he found it.

On the branches above him, a big green and brown vine was hanging there.

Cole smiled and almost forgot he was on a branch, that he stood up quickly and took all his strength to reach the branch with his injured hands. He managed to get to the other branch, and, with his burning hands and aching muscles, he clasped onto the branch at full speed. He felt the winds in his face and his hair moved behind him as his legs were pushed infront of him and his burning hands gripped onto the vine. He flew past all types of trees, and landed in another tree, grabbed a vine, and swung down to the forest floor.

Deker was still in sight. Cole hit the ground with one hand while his other hand let go of the vine.

Deker saw this, and he couldn't believe that the human had come to help him. He wanted to kill the human, just as his cravings told him to.

Cole ran up to Deker and stopped an inch from him. "Are you okay?"

Deker was certainly not okay. Cole didn't see it at first, but now he saw the patches of blood on Deker's white coat. The dirt piled onto his face. His legs shaking. His sword's protective sheild was almost chipped of its paint, but the cloth hanging from it was torn to shreds. He walked a little closer to Cole, limping.

Deker breathed in deeply. "I was attacked."

Deker groaned. He and Cole's were exactly alike. Cole caught Deker by the shoulders, as he almost fell onto his knees, groaning.

"Who did this?"

"Octoroo. He's gotten permission to kill the Samurai Rangers, but he came after me when I spotted him spying on the Rangers in the forest."

Cole was now concerned. "We've got to get out of here."

"It's too late. The Moogers are already behind me."

Indeed, Cole saw them with his own eyes. Over Deker's shoulder, red flashes of light came from the trees, and, just beyond the shadows of the green lush forest, the fish-faced monsters appeared in a group, snarling and waving their red swords in the air. Some of them jumped in the air at sight of Cole.

Deker gripped Urumassa in his hands, almost taking it out of its protective sheild, tired as he was, and waited for the Moogers to attack. Cole breathed hard and stood were he was, clenching his fists as he dropped them from Deker's shoulders. Deker turned around, facing the Moogers, as Cole looked on, facing them as well.

"Master Xandred has sent the Moogers to challenge me." Deker said, coolly.

Cole looked at him. The fish-faced monsters creeped across the forest to the two look-alikes slowly.

"How did they know we were here?" Cole asked, getting back into his defensive state.

"They have their ways." Deker said, his hand on the tip of his trusty sword.

Just around the corner, Octoroo laughed. It echoed across the forest.

"Prepare to shed some tears...and blood!"


	5. Chapter 5: A Cruel Judgement

CHAPTER 5: A CRUEL JUDGEMENT

Octoroo snickered and twisted his staff in midair, revealing the metal part. Deker gripped Urumassa's handle and stared at the Moogers, his heart cold.

Cole stood where he was, his hands balled into fists, then, he lifted them to his chest. The Moogers lifted their red swords infront of them.

Then, without warning, the Moogers charged.

Deker gripped his sword tighter, and Cole balled his fists to the point that they were sweating. Cole shifted his position and his eyes widened. He thought he had saw a light. Then, the light struck all of the ones standing in its path.

Cole lost his balance and fell onto the dirt of the cold forest. Every muscle in his body began to ache, the blast was that powerful. Deker remained on his feet, but his weakened state caused him to collapse on one knee, his sword still in hand. Cole groaned, and saw, with what his blurred vision could see, was the Moogers dead in the dirt a foot from the two. Deker let out a groan himself, and, without warning, stood up and pointed his sword at the little monster before them. Cole looked on from his weakened state, and saw a blue mist surround the look-alike.

Deker watched as the blue mist engulfed him, then, when he knew his Nighlok form was present, he charged at the little squid.

"I don't think so! Archors!" Octoroo yelled.

Out of the green forest, and jumping over Octoroo's head, came Moogers with bows and arrows in hand. Some had swords. Deker continued to charge. Cole managed to sit up onto his knees.

He's nothing I've ever seen before, Cole thought. I must help him.

The Moogers stood in position, their arrows pressed back against the line, and fired one by one. Deker twirled his sword in midair and knocked the arrows out of the winds carrying them. One by one, the arrows were defenseless against Deker. Cole watched on, his eyes catching glimpses of the arrows flying, then being knocked to the ground. It was so fast, you'de blink and miss an impact. Deker continued to charge, and, finally, striked.

One Mooger. Two Moogers. Three Moogers. Four Moogers. They kept coming, but Deker sliced them at every impact. Blood on his blade. Deker struck one Mooger in the stomach, and let the Mooger suffer, before finally pulling it out of the monster. Deker struck another Mooger to the right of him. Another Mooger was on the attack, and Deker sliced him without any hesitation. Octoroo was now in Deker's sight, and tried to slice at him.

"You want a battle? Fine!" Octoroo screamed, stumbling away from Deker's sword. He lifted his staff, stopping Deker's impact.

Cole arose to his feet and charged at the scene, his voice letting out a yell. His throat almost went hoarse.

One Mooger. Two Moogers. Cole struck them with his left fist, then blocked with his right arm to fiend of an approaching Mooger. He hit the monster, and it dissapeared into the ground. Cole was so overwhelmed, he was caught from the back by a Mooger. Struggleing wasn't easy, but Cole stayed strong. He kicked the Mooger in the shin of his ankle, and turned around fast, lifting his leg in a round kick. The Mooger fell back into two others. A sword whipped out, and Cole ducked and tripped the monster with his foot, knocking him on his back. Another tried to slice at Cole, but he grabbed the sword by the handle, feeling the Mooger's cold hand, and yanked the sword out of the monster's hands. He turned, and saw Deker and Octoroo fighting in the clearing of the forest.

"Deker, I'm coming!" Cole shouted, but a Mooger intercepted him

Cole sliced at the Mooger with the sword, but didn't hit him. The Mooger charged again, and Cole threw the sword into its face and punched its fish-faced head. The Mooger fell, the sword collapsing with the monster.

Cole ran over to the clearing, but Deker and Octooroo were nowhere to be found.

Blood. Within the seconds of flames and hate, there was blood. Only Cole was blinded by his own to not see so.

Cole had remembered when one Mooger knocked him in the head, but he felt fine. Cole breathed hard, and caught his balance on the steep hill. He walked onward towards the clearing, but nothing except trees, and no one, was in clear sight. A chilling breeze filled the mild forest, and caught Cole's skin. Cole shuddered for a second, but not to the wind, to the thought that Deker, his look-alike, could have been killed.

"Deker?" Cole yelled, his hands cuffed to his mouth.

No answer. Only the birds were chirping.

"Deker? Where are you?"

Cole stared into the clearing, looking around at the trees and the paths before him, his head suddenly throbbing. His heart racing. Taking his time, Cole walked alone along the forest path.

**Hours Later. Afternoon.**

Dayu continued her way down the steep hill. She hadn't realized she was walking in a pit of blood until she had walked up the hill, seeing her footprints in the dirt, and the dark blood mixed in. She stroked her harmonium as she walked along the path, and didn't care about where she was heading. She had nowhere else to turn to anyway. All she had in this world was her harmonium and her only life to guide her. She stopped in the middle of the path, engulfed with green bushes and limps that where soon to break off the tree branches. She started to walk again, but couldn't help but here something in the distance.

"What is that horrible sound?" Dayu asked herself.

Then, it came to her ears with a pulsing beat.

"Deker?"

**Nighttime.**

Cole had walked the forest for hours. And now, he was all alone in the forest. He was used to that feeling. Stopping and resting near a big hallow tree, Cole eased himself and his aching muscles onto the tree. He felt the wind blow down his spine, and felt the cold tree cling to his back. He sighed, realizing he wasn't in the best of shape to continue onward. The darkness around the forest seemed to close in on him, making it seem impossible to see. And figures of his imagination, that were there since he was a child in the darkness, wanted to creep up on him. Cole shook his head and looked at the ground. The dirt and grass had clung to his pants, and, as far as he could see, his shoes were muddy and full of grass at the tip. Cole began to look around again, but this time towards the sky. The clouds were shades of black, and nothing could be seen of them except the outlines. Looking back at the clearing, Cole decided to walk onward, his back unclasped from the tree. He walked onward, his head continued to throb. It had done so since the battle.

All Cole could hear were the crickets chirping in the far distance of the forest, and the frogs croaking aloud as he edged closer to the sound, to a pond in the distance. Cole felt his body tremble again, and the wind took hold of this. The wind grew more and more violent as it got colder, and Cole was to prepare himself for yet another winter if he was to stay in these parts of the woods, but that would be a long time from now. Cole couldn't get his head to stop throbbing, nor could he make out what the crickets and frogs were saying. If there were animals Cole couldn't understand, it was those two.

As the sound of frogs got closer, Cole could feel out something in the distance. He could feel a lot of things. It had been that way since he lived in the Jungle, and he still kept his gift, along with talking to animals. As the sound increased, with the sound of water, Cole felt out an animal. He didn't know what it was, but, it wasn't on the good side of the food chain. Cole had walked a long way, and finally saw the pond before him, the frogs jumping in and out of the water, causing puddles to form along the bank. Cole stopped walking for only a second, and, with no hesitation, dropped onto his knees infront of the pond. His hand freely touched the water, and the cold feeling of it made Cole think of the Sacred Pond back on the Animarium. He remembered the times he saw the monsters attacking the city in that pond, and the times when he saw his friends in trouble through the pond. But one memory he wanted to forget was the time his teammates forced him into the water. Sure, it was a bad time, but Cole smiled at it even when he wanted to forget it.

As the water touched his lips, Cole realized he had not ate or drank in days. Not since Deker found him. The battle seemed short, but the disappearance of the mysterious Deker made Cole not understand how he could have disappeared like that. Cole's thoughts were interrupted by laughter, and an animal.

**Neverworld.**

Master Xandred paced around the ship, his medicine lying on the floor an inch from him. He was growing impatient.

"Octoroo! Where's Dayu?"

Octoroo had escaped Deker. Earlier he had told his boss of the escape: when he and Deker were fighting, he noticed the Samurai Rangers were at hand at a sacred temple. He decided to end the battle on short notice, by dissapearing with an old Samurai trick he had seen the Samurai Rangers use many times. Deker's fate was unclear.

"I don't know, but, I know she didn't do as you directed her to."

"You mean...she didn't destroy him?" Master Xandred looked at Octoroo coldly.

"I told you she was still hanging onto her past." Octoroo said, his staff in hand.

"Hmm. Then its time we teach her a lesson. She wants to hang onto her past, eh? Well, she'll have to go through me."

Just as Master Xandred completed those words, Dayu walked onto the ship and sat on the bench.

"Perfect." Octoroo whispered coldly, his staff ready in hand.

Master Xandred walked over to the bench. He noticed Dayu was strumming, and stopped her without warning. She gasped at the impact.

"I thought you'de want me to play for you, Master." Dayu said, her head down.

"Silence! I know you've been clinging to your past day after day of your pathetic life, but he's never going to come back to you! You disobey me too much! It's time you learned to obey me!"

Then, he threw her onto the floor.


	6. Chapter 6: A Wound That Never Heals

CHAPTER 6: A WOUND THAT NEVER HEALS

Cole felt like he was dreaming. He felt himself out, and realized he was alone in this dream.

He walked along the mist floors, and saw pillars all around him. He looked around the dark and empty room, his eyes darting this way and that. A chilling breeze filled the dark dream and ran down Cole's spine. He shuddered, this time at the wind, and it almost made him drop onto his knees, the impact was so strong. But maintaining his balance was easy, except when he was too weak to fight. Cole continued to walk down the path, his insticts aware of the environment. He had never seen such a place as this before, and never dreamt of anything like this. Cole could hear noises in the far distance, but the source was unclear. He continued down the path of the dark room, the pillars passing him. Looking up at one piller with his green eyes, Cole saw it wasn't attached to anything but thin air. Letting his eyes fall back infront of him, Cole could see the mist getting heavier. He braved the mist by walking into it, feeling specks of water hit his face.

Then, he saw it.

A ship. A red, torn, and ghostly ship had been stranded in the middle of a red ocean. A pink and red skyline was behind it, but also all around it. The skyline had covered all of the sky. As Cole approached further, he realized he was walking on a shore. He turned around, and the dark room closed into thin air behind him. Turning back towards the ship, Cole sensed a mysterious presence like that of a monster. He licked his lips, and let out a deep breath. He saw the ship swaying against the red ocean, a rocking motion that had seemed like he had walked for enternity looking at that motion. Cole heard noises of water washing onto the shore, realizing it was the sounds he had been hearing, and saw it with his own eyes as he looked down. He dared not to touch it, for he felt something in this dream was wrong. The place felt evil.

Within the body of the shore, there were rocks piled onto one another, and single rocks, some near the shore's water, left out in the open to melt away at the wrath of the waves. As Cole looked up, the sky was still pink and red. Everything was red. Cole stopped in his tracks, standing in the middle of the shore, looking at the ship in the distance. He never took his eyes off of it.

Then, he saw a shadow on the ship's pointed edge. As Cole walked a little closer on the shore, he saw that the shadowed figure had a staff. It was hard to tell what shape or size it was from Cole's point of view, but Cole continued to walk along and get a closer look. The shadowed figure was looking directly at Cole, no matter how far he walked down the shore, and shifted its staff, but didn't exchange hands. Cole stopped in his tracks, witnessing this, his insticts aware.

"Who are you?" Cole yelled, not bothering to fold his hands over his mouth. His voice echoed over the red and pink world.

The figure remained in its stance. It then let out a piercing short laugh.

"Ahhhh, Cole Evans, it is you who should remember me!"

Cole gasped. The voice sounded familair.

"You?" Cole yelled, almost to himself.

"Yes, and I have come to destroy you once and for all!"

A beam of light raced out of the staff and flew past the red waters surrounding the ship. Cole shifted his stance to the point he almost forgot where he was, almost falling into the red water.

Before Cole could even regain his stance and doage, the light struck him, leaving him almost buried onto the shore's red sand. The sand stung his body, it was the feeling of ice crystals. It didn't even stay upon Cole's clothing.

"You will feel the wrath I have wanted so badly for years!" The figure yelled, twisting its staff again.

Cole could here the figure's voice upon the ship. It was loud, yet not gruff. It was shriel, yet not of any concern. The figure's staff was pointed, but not like that of the little squid's staff.

The figure was Master Org.

**Present Time. Morning.**

Cole awoke, his voice letting out a short yell. His eyes were casted out of sleep, and remained awake for those seconds of Cole's scream. Cole almost fell into the pond, but caught his balance on the shore with his hands. The shore was brown, and everything around Cole was full of color again.

Cole let his breath catch back up to him, and finally gave up sleeping. The night wasn't as good as he had hoped. The pond's shore kept clumping more dirt onto his skin and clothes, something that, in Cole's mind, shouldn't be too much of. Cole couldn't hardly sleep in the position of lying on his back, for the hard ground upon the shore was disfigured and bumpy like a worn down road. He shifted back to the position he knew for the night, with his arms on his chest and his body stretched out along the shore. He felt more comfortable that way. He looked at himself in the pond, which the frogs had escaped into their dens for the night. Cole realized he had a lot of dirt on him, mostly his clothes. He didn't even realize he still had the green specks of herbs on his clothes and face. Some remained intact on his arms. His kneecaps were now very visible, seeing the bones under his tan-from-the-sun skin, for the holes in his pants down at the kneecaps had gone from little holes to almost completly torn. He realized his face was bruised and little scars were on his forehead, face, and neck. Cole noticed the blood, which was dried up now, on his forehead just above his right eye. His hair was dirty and untamed. He checked his torn side, lifting his dirty shirt, and realized it was beginning to heal, but blood continued to ooze out a little, as it had for days now. He let his shirt down and looked around him. He caught sight of the sun, and it almost blinded him. Looking back at the pond, Cole felt a little ashamed of how he looked, but, then again, he was happy.

I walked around looking like this, Cole thought. I am really feeling at home.

Since Cole's time in the Jungle, he was used to dirt and the fact of getting dirty. When he first arrived in Turtle Cove, he knew he was not the best looking person around, but, at the time, it was like he didn't seem to care. When he passed the people on the street for the first time, they just stared at him. Some just looked away in disgust. His hair was long at the time, and his clothes were worn out. Cole had nothing but those clothes on his back and the picture of his parents. But he also carried the red orb that one day was filled with the red lion's figure.

But none of that seemed to match now. Cole was beginning to feel he was better off this way than no way at all.

Then, a noise echoed across the land and to Cole's ears, prompting Cole to look up sharply. Cole's eyes then widened. Beyond the forest, himself, the pond, and across a field of green grass, was a huge house. It had to be at least three feet long, and it looked to have about twenty rooms. Along the brown walls that surrounded the place in the front, which was so tall you could see them just over the house, was a garden with a rock piller. A gate was at the front with a strange symbol above it. From Cole's view of the house, he could see things clearly. There were no walls. Cole suggested to himself he was in the backyard, where no one, or any monster, could find the house. The noise was the front door, which slid open from the left. Cole almost wanted to hide in the forest and not mind the noise at all, like he used to back in the Jungle, but, for his body betrayed him just as when he was sick, he stayed near the pond, his hands infront of him, grasping the dirt on the ground. He was crouched like a scared animal, his legs back behind him and his body curved like that of a snake. His eyes were fixed on the sights before him.

A man walked out into the grassy field, lugging a cart behind him. The man had tan skin, black pants, green shirt, gold shoes, and a matching green scarf around his neck. He had a watch, from which Cole's eyes could tell for his eyesight was keen, on his right arm and braclets on his left. In the cart, there were fishing nets and a fish board dangling from the side. Near it was a sign that read: Antonio's Fresh Fish. On the deck of the cart, there was a little creature sitting and chirping aloud to the man. It had big claws and was yellow and red. It had a small head, but a big body like that of its claws. It was the animal he heard last night, and the man weilding the cart was the same man from last night.

When Cole spotted the man and the animal last night, he was just as afraid as he is now. The man was holding something in his hand, and the little creature was sitting on top of the cart, which the man was carrying out to the grass. He started to use the strange thing in his hand to create something Cole could not understand:

The man used flashes of light, with what appeared like writing in the center, and threw it onto the creature. Cole was confused, but watched until the show was over.

The man just smiled and said, "So close."

Since Cole had keen eyesight, he could read the letters on the cart perfectly. And since he learned how to read and write from his friends, the Wild Force Rangers, he was happier to finally succeeded in a field besides vine swinging. Cole continued his crouched state, his fingertips now feeling the cool water of the pond. He watched the man walk into the other side of the house, and he disappeared. Before Cole could retell in his mind what he had seen, other humans came out of the house. They were dressed all alike, in black outfits with colored patches across their chests. They were talking, but Cole couldn't make out all the words. They were laughing, and Cole could understand why. When they dissapeared around the corner just like the other man, Cole had to recall this in his head. He felt, despite his years living in the wilderness, that this is where he belonged. With humans. People. Civilized life. Cole had never seen a house this big, and he didn't see humans for the past couple of days either. Something in him wanted to stay in the big house for awhile, but another side told him to leave the house, and the humans, alone.

Cole had never been one to stay in one place too long if it related to the city, but he could stay in the forest for as long as he pleased. Cole looked behind him, and realized the forest was just an inch from him, and the big house represented the dead end. In the forest, there were animals that Cole could talk to in a secret language only he and the animals know. In that house, there were humans who didn't need chirps or animal sounds to understand other human beings. The pond was the barrier for the choice Cole was to make, since Deker said Cole could get help from the humans.

Cole stood upright and stared into the clearing of the house. It was big and beautiful, but the forest had more beauty than anything in this world. Cole turned around, feeling like forever had passed him by, and walked into the green lush forest.

A house isn't a home, Cole thought. No matter how much I want to see life in the human world, I'll never be as civilized as them.

**Present Time. Forest.**

Deker was back at the place where it all started. He looked at the dirt on the ground and the trees around him. He gripped Urumassa tighter as he stepped forward to the tree he rested upon for days. He turned around, and the bush of herbs continued to stick on the ground, but most of them had dried up and turned brown. Turning back to the tree, Deker lifted Urumassa to his chest and grabbed the handle. He pulled the blade from its protective shield, and a smile came to his face.

"Within days, the Ultimate Duel will happen. It is time we prepare."

Deker drew the sword out completly, and let it shimmer in the sunlight. Everything Deker did up until this point was to strengthen himself and his trusty sword. He was ready to taste the red Samurai Ranger's blood on his blade, as he had waited to do so for centuries. He took a step forward and began to train himself.

Slashing Urumassa all around him, to the left, to the right, infront of him, kneeling onto one knee to get a stab out of his blade, Deker felt himself and his mind become more focused. Lifting back upright, and continuing to slash his sword, Deker's heart, if he had one, turned cold. Something in him turned cold.

During the slashes of his sword in midair, he couldn't help but remember the words of the red Ranger:

"You don't have to give in to the Nighlok's cravings."

He's wrong, Deker thought. I must do this. I have no choice but to satisfy my urge, and bring my horrible curse to a end.

Deker slashed in midair constanly, letting his hands sweat on the handle, and his muscles ache until they stung. He was angry he had to let the red Ranger go after chasing Octoroo through the woods and to the temple, but not before meeting the strange fisherman again, and having to sit through and watch the fisherman cook something that didn't look very satifying to him. He knew Octoroo was planning to poision the red Ranger, and he took persuit after the fisherman to the Tengen Gate, the sacred temple. He went through all that trouble of letting the red Ranger heal at the river, possibly the same one he healed his look-alike, that "Cole", but nothing came of it. That fisherman, the gold Ranger, had saved his best friend. All of this made Deker smirk, dispite his anger. He was ready to plan his next move.

"My wounds will never heal." Deker said, and slashed a tree out of the anger within him. He felt the winds pass him at blinding speed and the bark fly across the forest and onto the floor around him.

**Present Time. Afternoon.**

Cole walked along the forest, as he had done for days, and continued to hear the birds chirp in the trees. He stepped carefully through the grass and dirt, and moss and broken vines. Thorns were sticking out from the vines, and Cole stepped over them without hesitation. He knew what it was like to step on thorns without any shoes on. Cole had not always worn shoes. When he was a child, possibly six years of age, he realized his foot was caught on a thorn bush and cried for help for hours. No one came, and Cole felt alone. Although he was scared, he attempted to pull out the thorns, first releasing his foot of the thorn, and succeeded, feeling his foot throb. He then let his fingers touch the wounds and pull out the remaing thorns. Cole could feel tears in his eyes, but his heart wouldn't give up. He managed to walk back to the tribe that had raised him, and a medicine woman healed his foot. The tribe's elder made him shoes and told him to wear them. Cole agreed, but getting used to shoes was difficult. Cole got used to them, of course, but it seemed to wonder if he didn't step on the thorns that day, he wouldn't have known what shoes were or that they were made by humans.

The memories of the tribe stirred Cole. He began to grow sad, for he had missed his time in the dense Jungles. The people were nice, and they had raised him, for if they didn't, he wouldn't be walking today. He would have been killed or left for dead, but that wasn't intended for him.

Then, before Cole could think of his next move, a sound of sorrow filled the air. It had come from the left of the woods, and Cole stepped quietly over the leaves and grass and vines. He peered back fern leaves, spotting poision oak on the far corner of the tree branch. Cole knew not to touch it, for he had a lot of knowledge of what plants and leafs he should and shouldn't touch, as what the tribe's elder taught him, and saw a figure inches away from him.

Leaning against a tree in the distance, surrounded by dirt and leaves on the trees, which had also surrounded the area, a monster was there, stroking an object unfamilair to Cole, its fingers moving in a soothing rhythem. Cole sensed its cries of sadness, but, in spite of that, he heard a beating sound. It was coming infront of him, beating its way to Cole's ears. Cole closed his eyes, and concentrated hard. He beating noise got louder and Cole sensed the source. The monster had a heart.

Cole's eyes opened sharply, and he looked up at the monster infront of him. He decided to see what the matter was, despite the concequenses. Cole was shocked he didn't see the dry leaves infront of him. He stepped forward. It was too late when he spotted them.

Dayu heard the noise. She was too upset to even think of turning around to kill the spy. She stroked her harmonium, its strings dangling towards the ground and its edges and centerpeiece burned until brown. Her harmonium was trashed, and so was her spirit.

"Go away, whoever you are, and don't come back. Now I have nothing left." Dayu wailed, continuing to ignore what she heard.

Cole ignored her. He continued to walk forward into the clearing, until he was finally close to the monster, seeing the female had a red and black body with a sort of dress intwined. She had a shade of blue lips, and had eyes glowing on the back of her neck, unlike the one's on her face. She had strings of red hair to her cheekbones, and her face was full white. Cole had never seen a female monster in person, but the only one he ever got to fight was Toxica, a minion to Master Org.

"Who are you?" Cole asked, a foot from the mysterious female monster.

"Leave me, human, before I destroy you." She said coolly.

Dayu was used to feeling this kind of pain. She was feeling it for centuries. Since that noise she heard in the forest wasn't Deker, but only a Samurai Ranger passed out from a Nighlok's attack, she never found him, nor did she want to destroy him as ordered. However, when she saw him passing over the forest treetope in his Nighlok form, carrying an object, she took persuit, and she traced him to a cave, where both he and the red Samurai Ranger were talking. She almost witnessed their battle, until the gold Samurai Ranger stepped in. Dayu was happy Deker didn't have the duel, for she didn't want to see him hurt, but didn't want to see him suffer on Earth either. She returned to the ship, and Master Xandred gave her the worst beating she had ever gotten in her now useless life. He ruined her harmonium after she told him to destroy her, and she declared to herself she wasn't coming back. Ever.

"You're lying. You don't want to hurt me." Cole said.

Dayu's attention was caught at last. "What? How did you...?"

"I felt it out with my heart. I feel a lot of things. I wont hurt you, but I don't know if you'll change your mind, and, if you do, I'll change mine."

Dayu unclinged herself from the tree. She still held her harmonium in hand, and clasped onto its handle so hard she could have broke it in half. But she couldn't do that.

She took a deep breath. Her heart was cold. "You have quite a sharp tounge for someone who was saved by Deker. He's not dead, is he? No, he's not. I saw him myself up in that cave."

It pained Dayu to say that name.

"You know Deker?" Cole asked, shocked, taking more steps forward, then stopped, shifting his position. He was happy to know Deker was alive, but his shock hid the excitment.

"Me and him are what you might call friends. Its been that way for a long time. Centuries. But, a long time ago, it was more than that."

Cole was now more confused. "What are you talking about?"

Dayu looked at the human. She then was shocked. "You look just like him, only your more of an imposter. I should kill you, but that would pain me more than how I already am in pain. The Deker I see today is the Deker I saw many centuries ago, and the Deker you see today."

Cole's heart sensed sorrow again. Now it bagan to make sense. "You and Deker were linked, wheren't you?"

"We were married. And we still are, but he doesn't remember anything of that night, or when he was turned into a Nighlok. My happiness was ripped away before it even started, all because of that Nighlok king."

"What happened to him?"

Cole took some more steps forward, but stopped himself, betraying his body, before he could do so, questioning his own soul as he wanted to questioned the female's.

Dayu took a deep breath in the midst of her unseen tears.

"I was tricked. I gave my spirit up to darkness just to see him live. I wanted the perfect life with him, we could have had children and teach them to be Samurais, but nothing ever goes as planned. He fell unconsious when our house caught on fire the night of our honeymoon, and he was dying from breathing in all the smoke and the wounds on his body were killing him as well. He had been fighting someone, and that someone must have set the house on fire. He was trying to protect our home, I just know it. I found him by the doorway and dragged him out to the field. I called for help, but it seemed hopeless until this mystery Nighlok appeared. I knew he was a Nighlok, but, I wanted him to save my brave Samurai. That Nighlok took away his memory, and he turned us both into Nighloks. And after that day, I never forgave myself for what I did to him. When I found him as a Nighlok, he said he didn't remember me. Now, he's off to destroy the red Samurai Ranger to the belief he'll he free. I hope that's true, but my love for him will never die, not as long as I life, human or Nighlok."

Cole took all this in. He had never thought monsters like Nighloks could do such things to humans. He only knew that monsters, such as Orgs, would wreak havoc.

"If you can remember that night, why don't you tell him about the past?"

Dayu whipped around as fast as lightning. Cole ducked from the impact and stepped back, causing his stance to be on the defensive side. His fists were tightened and he could feel the splinters from the day before stinging again.

"How dare you mock me! You have no right to even question me like this! My past is of no concern to you!"

"Then why did you tell me everything before? It's too late to turn back now, and I know your life isn't what it used to be, but you'll find happiness with or without him."

"I guess my feelings got the best of me. But no more will I speak to you, you pathetic human. I could destroy you, like I said, but my weapon is ruined and my soul is in pain. You should count your lucky stars. I still don't see why Deker spared your life, or at least saved it when you couldn't."

Dayu felt rage inside her, but also the calm feeling of speaking to Deker's look-alike.

Then, without warning, the female Nighlok disappeared into the forest at blinding speed. Cole felt the winds fly at his face, and his hair moved back from behind his ears. He was left alone in the cold forest, taking in everything. It began to grow dark. Cole saw streaks of purple and brown beyond the trees.

There's so much I didn't know about him, Cole thought. He's trying to find peace like me, and I must find him before its too late.


	7. Chapter 7: An Evening Opponent

CHAPTER 7: AN EVENING OPPONENT

**Neverworld.**

Octoroo paced the floors. He had been looking in his little brown book for hours, and everything was beginning to make sense. With his stick in hand, he walked towards the window of the ship. He chuckled as he watched Rhinosnorous swimming among the red waves of the Sanzu river. Rhinosnorous had been on a mission to destroy the humans by putting them to sleep and, while the humans were in the dream world, eat them. He had even put two of the Samurai Rangers into the dream world.

As Octoroo continued to look on through the window, he could feel the furry warts behind him and all about the ship, hanging from the ceiling, giggleing like there was no tomorrow. Master Xandred's boots hit the floor as he emerged from his cabin. Octoroo could sense rage and anger within his boss.

"Any luck finding Dayu? Or perhapes a half-human?" Master Xandred asked, looking at Octoroo.

Octoroo turned around. "No, Master, but Rhinosnorous gave the humans something to dream about."

Octoroo walked towards his master and swisted his staff in-hand, but not pointing it directly at Master Xandred. He did see a half-human at the Tengen Gate awhile back, but now everything went quite. Master Xandred ignored the little squid's movements and gazed out the window. Just watching that Nighlok swim and having fun made his soul turn colder than what it was.

"Rhinosnorous! Get in here!"

"Got it, boss!" Rhinosnorous yelled, swimming towards the ship.

Master Xandred grumbled and groaned. "All of my plans to destory the Earth has been wasted on pathetic Nighloks without real plans. Not even my medicine can't help me with my headaches just thinking about it."

"Ohh-ahh-ohh, but, Master, it is your plans that make the Sanzu river rise and grow stronger so we can destroy the Samurai Rangers and all the pathetic humans of planet Earth."

"Well, I'll see to it you destroy them yourself. Get to it!"

"You have the word of Octoroo. I will defeat the Samurai Rangers in the human world, and then we'll be out of here for sure once we find out the Red Ranger's sealing symbol."

Rhinosnorous only heard part of the conversation. He ungripped his hands from a nearby post he clinged onto and walked towards the two before him.

"Yeah! And I'll help you destroy the city!" He exclaimed.

"Nonsense!" Master Xandred snapped, wipping his body around. "You grew into a coward when you were being destroyed, and you will never be summoned again!"

"But Master, he's-" Octoroo began.

"Shut up! I have a headache the size of the moon, and all you Nighloks can do is grow cowardly when the Rangers are defeating you and read books! I suggest you get out there and prove me wrong, Octoroo, and make me believe a small Nighlok like you can defeat the Rangers."

Octoroo took all this in, gripping his stick, its pointed tip staring at the ceilling. He sighed and walked towards the doorway. "Very well. I'll leave you and your medicine in peace."

Master Xandred looked at the Nighlok in the corner as Octoroo was out of sight. "As for you, Rhinosnorous, you will be called on when you are ready. As for now, go join the other Nighlok that is useless to me."

Rhinsnorous felt anger and rage. But all his mind could tell him to do now was to bow in respect, and he did so. "Yes, Master."

Master Xandred watched Rhinosnorous walk to the window and jump out into the waters. The splash was intense, as always, but this time different than usual. It made his hands clench into fists full of hatered.

**Neverworld Shoreline.**

Octoroo felt betrayed by his own master, but at the same time felt happy to have another chance at the Samurai Rangers. He walked among the red shorline and used his stick to guide him among the rough sand. He had seen this sand so many days he wanted to escape the Neverworld now. At this very moment.

"Octoroo!" A voice called, echoing across the sea.

Octoroo caught the sound and looked up. His eyes widened. "Oh, no."

**Present Time. Forest.**

The sunset was shaded in purple and brown, and Cole could sense the warm sun setting on his skin. The clouds were hung low in shades of blue and black, and the moon was preparing to shine through. Cole smiled at this sight, but his mind turned back to what he had been thinking about for hours: what would he eat at a time like this?

Cole looked around him, and the lush green forest had transformed into light colors of green and blue and gold. Cole could hear the sound of birds in the air and felt the wind, now warmer than the days before, upon his skin. Cole had felt much better after he decided to bath off in a pond that he found around a waterfall that he could hear from miles away and traced the sound. His hair was still wet, and his clothes were already dry, but kept its dirty apperance. Cole hadn't realized the holes in his knees were getting bigger as he walked until he stopped to look around the forest for food. He looked down and saw his pants, and knew they'd have to last him. Besides, its the only pair he has left. The splinters in his hands began to heal, and the water pulled away dirt and mud to clense it, as if the water was a cure.

Looking into the distance, Cole saw something moving. He paused just as the sound had paused. Breathing deeply, Cole walked closer to what he saw, or heard, in the far distance. He knew it was an animal.

Hearing the sound of leaves and grass against his shoes, now less muddy than before, Cole crouched before a large rock sitting on the ground. Over the rock's protective coating, a large mouse, grey and webbed claws on the end of his feet, was eating a small branch of leaves, now becoming nothing more than twigs. Cole wanted to grab the mouse instantly, but, he hesitated. He had only killed one animal before, and that was the wolf.

Could he kill something as innocent as that wolf had been?

Cole didn't think about his actions until he realized he was walking away from the rock and past some trees. His eyes caught sight of a dead tree, its branches hanging low and the bark broken to brown specks. He placed one of his hands on some of the tree bark, and felt a sharp pain in his already blistered hands. It came from a chopped peice of wood, brown, like the bark, and chipped at the corners. It stuck out from the surroundings of the brown bark, and seemed to be the only thing living in this part of the forest. Cole smiled to himself and grabbed the bark with his hands. He knew his grip would cause sharper pains on his blisters, but he couldn't bare to think of nothing but food at this point. Yanking gently, he groaned as he felt the wood come out slowly, his muscles tightening with each grip and yank, then, within an instant, the wood was directly in his hands, its sharp edge pointed towards the skyline. Cole felt a smile come to his face, but quickly let it fall. He wasn't going to let his heart turn cold, nor his evil feelings get in the way of his true feelings. He walked back to the rock and creeped over the coating again. The mouse was still there, much to Cole's hate that he didn't want to see the mouse again. Cole closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He edged his left hand, free of the sharp wood, and grabbed the mouse by the tail.

The mouse swirmed and squeeled, and Cole could hear every word it was saying in the language it, the animals, and Cole could understand. Cole clenched the wood deeper into his palm, and twisted it in his hands, the sharp point now looking at the forest floor. Cole felt his heart beat heavy, his teench clenched hard, and his breath almost went shallow when he placed the swirming mouse onto the rock and out of the thin air that held it.

Cole lifted the wood, its sharp edge in plain sight of his eyes. It seemed as if the night had betrayed him into giving him light so he could see what was being done.

"Forgive me." Cole whispered, and sliced down. It was that quick. Cole took a deep breath and felt his heart thump in his chest. He didn't want to do it, but he was to die here in this forest without this mouse to help him. His heart felt the same rush of speed just as it did when he swung on a vine.

"I'm sorry."

**Hours Later. Nighttime.**

Cole watched the flames dance around the logs of the forest. He had looked at this sight for a long time, and felt his soul's wounds come back together. Cole felt horrible to cook the mouse over this fire, and eating the mouse was another difficult part that he didn't want to do. Cole had to close his eyes the first three times in trying the mouse, but finally managed to look at the meat before him.

In the tribe, Cole didn't have to worry about food. The tribal elder had taught many of the older tribsman to hunt, but Cole was too young at the time to start hunting for himself. Cole had eaten small animals in his past, and it never bothered him until now. The best things he would eat all the time were bananas, not animals. Also, on the Animarium, he would eat what Alyssa, the white Wild Force Ranger, had cooked for him and the others every morning and night. It was the best food he had ever tasted besides bananas, and would eat it again if he had the chance.

But all of that was the past.

Cole felt horrible in the light of the fire. He wanted to get up and leave, but the flames kept him sitting on the ground. Cole felt the wind pick up speed in the trees, and the grass swaying in the clear breeze. Cole was beginning to smile again, his heart back in the right place, realizing the mouse would have been happier seeing the one's it left behind again one day, just as Cole will be. The mouse was almost gone, but Cole didn't seem to eat anymore. He wanted the mouse to be buried, like his golden retriver dog, but that would be like keeping an animal locked in a cage. Cole opened and closed his eyes, the flames going black and turning back into light again and again, his back against a strong tree. Cole felt his hunger return, and attempted to eat the rest of the mouse beside him, grabbing it slowly. When he saw the mouse again, his stomach turned, but managed to keep himself calm. Cole knew how to live in the wild, and he wanted to stay this way. he felt himself drifting off to sleep again, but his eyes were betraying him, just as they did when he was sick, and it seemed only a few seconds before he finally found sleep. But soon, hearing the noises of twigs and leaves through his sleeping state, Cole awoke sharply, and found a sword in his face. The tip almost at his eyelids.

"What a touching display." A familair voice said.

Cole looked up, his eyes wide open. "I knew you were still alive, Deker."

Deker smirked, twisting his trusty sword in hand. "And I thought you were dead."

Deker had been living alone again after training himself for his duel with the red Samurai Ranger. He rested upon a nearby mountain on this night, and had seen smoke rising from the trees when he rested on the edges of the mountain. He was hesitate to see who was responsible for the flames, but, then again, he thought it was a Nighlok causing pain and havoc. He was in his Nighlok form, training, when he saw the smoke, and dropped down from the mountain and into the forest, close to the spot of the smoke. He transformed into his half-human form and, when he saw the flames, he got a closer look at the person behind it. After getting a better look, he realized it was his look-alike, that "Cole", sleeping against the tree.

Cole grabbed the mouse lying on the ground, seeing the killing was real. He had cut a peice of his shirt off on the side with the piece of wood to not make the mouse covered in dirt. He extended his hand, with the mouse, to Deker.

Deker grew confused. Urumassa was now gripped at his side, its tip facing the ground.

Is this human trying to help me? He thought. This "Cole"?

"What is that thing?" He asked, seeing a hint of blood curled on the sides of the object.

"A mouse. I...killed it."

"Hmm," Deker smiled.

Deker looked at the flames before him, and sensed they were dying down. The night was still young, and the fire would have to last longer. Within seconds, Deker kicked his foot against the logs and saw the flames lash out at the thin air above it, dark red sparks flying into the dust. Deker sighed, seeing Cole had backed away from the sparks, and sat down on the other side of the flames. He saw the flames, but never intended to look at them long. He placed Urumassa beside him.

"I see you're still likeing it here." He said.

"Of course," Cole said, gripping the mouse and prepared to bite into it. "I like it here. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"Have you ever killed Nighloks before? Their the easy ones, but only if their not like Master Xandred." Deker said, looking at Cole.

"I've killed something like those Nighloks. They were called Orgs, and they wanted to destroy the Earth. They were led by Master Org."

"I don't know who this 'Master Org' is, but Master Xandred will be coming after me sooner or later if I don't battle the red Ranger."

Cole's heart skipped a beat. No, it was three beats. Five beats. Until Cole could catch his heart again, he took a deep breath.

"I was a red Ranger." He mumbled.

Deker heard this and widened his eyes. "So...you were a red Ranger? That's more interesting to hear than words from Octooroo's books."

"Deker, I'm not your enemy. I just want to help animals. I've always cared for them, and I wont stop doing so until I take my last breath."

"What makes you so sure? You killed that mouse, didn't you?"

Cole had almost forgotten that. "Oh. I also killed a wolf when it killed my best friend. I had no choice. It would have killed me, too."

Deker grinned. "Your quite the animal type, and I'm the Nighlok type. You wont surive for long if you keep walking around here like your doing."

"Look at yourself. I lived in the amazon jungles for twenty years. I know more about surviving in the woods than you think."

"That's easy for you to say, but I've been alone for centuries. I've killed more Nighloks than you've killed any animal."

"That's true, Deker. But I'm still what many call a wild child. I can communicate with animals."

"You shouldn't be seeing me long." Deker said, almost cutting Cole from speaking his last words.

Cole looked at him after realizing the mouse was gone. He must have ate it all without realizing it. "What are you trying to say?"

Deker stood up from where he was sitting. He grabbed Urumassa in the process. "The ultimate duel is finally here. I will finally be rid of this terrible curse."

Cole took this in. He thought back to the woman Nighlok and how she knew Deker. She was his wife, and Deker was living without memory of her or his past.

"Don't you remember your past, Deker? Anything at all?" He asked.

Deker looked at him coldly, clenching Urumassa in hand. Then, his eyes went to the ground, as if he was questioning himself. "All I remember is a great fire. Nothing more matters to me now than this duel."

"Your duel with the red Ranger?"

"No, our duel."

It was quicker than a flash of lightning. Cole felt himself being strangled against the trees and moss hanging from it. Cole tried to grab onto something, but everything flashed away from his eyes. he couldn't see anything except the flames fading into the distance and out of his sight. Cole saw nothing but quick flashes and dark figures flying past him. Then, he felt himself being thrown into the air. Cole screamed, and felt his hands fly around him, trying to grab onto a vine, but no vine was in sight, as far as Cole could see. Cole then felt the cold ground and his body ache from the impact. He felt his head ache as well. Then, he felt a cold feeling on his throat. He saw the red tip of Deker's sword at his forhead. The sword was pressed harder agianst his throat, and Cole felt his hands betraying him, but grabbed the sword and fought against it, feeling Deker's hands fighting Cole's hands back. It seemed like forever had passed, and Cole grew tired and weak to continue fighting, hearing Deker laugh and breath deeply against the back of his neck as he pressed the sword deeper in Cole's neck. Then, it stopped.

Cole turned around, coughing from the deep impacts that seemed to have cut his throat. Cole checked, but not a hint of blood was found. Not a scratch on his neck.

Deker breathed heavily, looking at the cold ground, realizing his blood lust got the best of him. He wanted to kill his look-alike, this "Cole", but couldn't do it. He got up and ran to a lake he had passed on the way to the flames of smoke he saw earlier, which were now far behind him and the look-alike.

Cole saw this. "Deker!"

Deker could hear the human yelling, but kept running towards the lake. He jumped off the side of the mountain, and landed straight on the edge of the riverside, the tip of the waters hitting his boots. He got up and put Urumassa back in its protective shield, sweat dripping from his palms.

Cole had gotten up from where he was and ran into the forest. The darkness crept up on him as he ran, realizing the night was later than what had it seemed to be. Cole kept looking on in the distance, running, his movements quick as an animal's speed. Cole saw the edge of the mountain, and stopped to look down. Deker was sitting on the rocks of the shore, his sword beside him. Cole began to climb down the side, and, watching his footing, he quickly grabbed onto a vine and swung down, the winds hitting his face. He planted his feet on the ground, and felt his hands leave the vine. Deker remained in his position, his head looking up.

Cole walked towards Deker without a sound. "Why did you want to fight me?"

Deker had sensed Cole's appearance. "My blood lust is stronger than I thought. I can't bare to think about killing you, or any other human, but I must battle in the ultimate duel."

Cole began to see what Deker was looking at the whole time: the moon.

The full moon was out on this night, and it shined brighter than anything in the forest. Cole wished he could see the full moon every night, but it would only come for a few weeks, maybe a year, at a time.

Cole sat beside Deker, carfully not touching the sword in its white covering. Deker didn't move his body nor his eyes.

"Why do you stare at me, human?" Deker asked.

"I can't believe that you saved me, and then you want to attack me. I know your cravings must be out of control, but you can't allow them to take control of you."

Deker didn't move, but his eyes almost shifted stance. "My cravings has taken control of me for centuries. I saved you because I didn't want you killed. I don't want to see humans like you killed, and I don't know why."

Cole looked at Deker, understanding everything now, then at the bright full moon.

"Why do you stare at the moon?" Cole asked.

"The moon helps me calm my spirit. My cravings hate it, and the Nighloks hate it, but I don't. It stirs me that way."

Cole kept looking at the moon, hearing Deker's words. They were both fighting one moment, now, they were sitting here together.

**Morning.**

Cole had never felt more restful now than the previous nights before. He opened his eyes, and the full moon was gone, the clouds and the sun now in its place. Cole looked around, and saw the water flow downward from the streams. He looked at the trees, and they swayed at the winds coming toward them. Cole looked to his side, but Deker was gone. He was nowhere to be found.

"Deker? Deker?"

Not a sound was heard, and Cole's screams echoed across the forest. He got up and looked around some more.

"He's trying to find peace within himself. I have to stop him from battling the red Ranger."

**Elsewhere. Forest.**

Deker was at the edge of the forest clearing. He saw the city before him, and knew this wouldn't be the last time seeing it.

"I will fight the red Samurai Ranger," Deker said, stroking Urumassa. "I will be free from my curse, and finally be at peace."


	8. Chapter 8: Memories

CHAPTER 8: MEMORIES

**Forest. Nighttime.**

Deker curled his legs under him as the winds of the night engulfed the forest. He hit the rocks against one another, watching the sparks fly past him. He had tried to make a fire for hours.

His mind was set on the red Samurai Ranger. He wanted the ultimate duel now. He could almost see it: the red Ranger falling to the ground, too weak to get up, and his body aching from the heavy blows and strikes of Urumassa. The red Ranger's blood would curl onto Deker's blade as he was bleeding out of his pores. Deker could see the blood and grin and lift Urumassa, sending it into the winds and, within seconds of glory, strike onto his opponent and hear him scream for mercy.

All of this gave Deker hope. He smiled as everything he had thought of, and hit the rocks against each other harder than before, this time sending sparks onto his white coat and skin, but he didn't mind the burning feeling, he just wanted to taste the blood of his upcoming opponent.

Deker had forgotton that his look-alike had been searching for him since he left him at the shore. He could hear the screams of the look-alike, that "Cole", in the open forest, but continued to leave the area without a single goodbye. He had no time for talking and fighting with his look-alike, he had only one goal at this point, and would leave his look-alike at any time he wanted to.

As the rocks finally made the flames come out onto the dried leaves, Deker could feel the wind roaring past him and into his ears. He wanted to enjoy the cold feeling while it lasted, for he would feel nothing but hate as the days would come and go. He moved Urumassa closer to him, as they were both sitting or lying on the cold ground, and smiled.

"The time is getting near. Our ultimate duel is finally at hand, and this time nothing will stop me."

He knew the sword couldn't talk back, but if it did, he would be honored to talk to it everyday of his immortal exsitance. He watched the flames rise higher, and his own soul felt lowered by the hate pressing against his cold heart. The forest winds was all to be heard, and Deker liked it when the animals were quite, for he could finally get some sleep better than he had the nights before.

All was going the way Deker had planned. But something was wrong, and Deker sensed it. Deker felt like something was poking him, and he turned his head slightly.

A piece of metal was stuck upon his shoulder, and it edged its way to his neck.

"Give up, Deker, you're not going to interfere with my plans any longer." Master Xandred grumbled in the roaring winds.

Deker remained at his stance, twisting his head back in place. "I have done nothing to you, Nighlok. You're pathetic to want to challenge me."

Master Xandred had had enough of his Nighloks failing him, and felt he needed to destroy the ones who had been worthless to him for so many centuries. He first got a Nighlok with a way of trapping humans in spirit forms and another Nighlok with a way to turn humans into animals. He had slashed through them as if thay had stood still and took their fates clearly. Master Xandred was after Octooroo, but only for a second. He decided to let him live. After all, he was the only Nighlok with a brain the size of his body. Now, he had been searching for Dayu, and nothing was found of her. It was like she had banashed from the Nighloks completely. He had sensed someone else in the forest, and when he saw Deker sitting alone, he decided to take action.

"I'm not just any Nighlok, you half-human. I'm a master Nighlok, and you were suppose to bow to me after all of these centuries becoming something your not. Just like your little girlfriend Dayu."

Master Xandred gripped his sword and felt himself getting hotter in the cold forest. Deker remained at his stance, but couldn't help to take all of Master Xandred's words in. He wanted to reach for Urumassa. He felt hate running through his soul.

"Be careful, Nighlok. You're still at risk just as your minions are."

Deker let his fingertips touch the tip of his sword. He carefully let it slide towards his palm, but then, in a blinding moment, dust covered the side of his white coat, and Urumassa laid on the other side of the fiames, dirt upon its protective shield. The flames almost let Deker's sight of his sword be blind. Master Xandred had been angry for hours, and his medicine wasn't helping him one bit, or at least that's what Deker seemed to have sensed.

"Reach for it and see what happens!" Master Xandred snapped when he kicked the sword onto the other side, pressing his sword deeper into Deker's shoulder.

Deker remained at his stance, but sitting where he was wasn't getting him anywhere. He twisted his head again, and saw that the Nighlok behind him had gotten closer. He looked upward towards the sky, but Master Xandred blocked the view of the bright quarter moon. Its light fingertips shown on the darkened body, and revealed all of the red marks and black strikes that made Master Xandred a fearsome figure. Deker edged closer to standing, but his body was already twisted at an angle, and his heart beated fast at sight of Master Xandred, for he hadn't seen him in months. Not since Deker saved Dayu from the Rangers. Master Xandred lowered his sword from Deker's shoulder. It began to sting.

"You are very wise to look at me," Master Xandred said. "Now, the first thing I want you to do is bow to me!"

Deker looked at him dead in the eyes. "I will never bow to a Nighlok. Nor will I ever bow to the likes of you."

"I'm warning you! If you don't bow to me, you will taste your own blood! Now, bow! That's an order!"

"I don't take orders."

The wind got rougher. The area was cooler. It seemed as if the tension within Deker was burning himself on the outside. Master Xandred felt all of this come to him.

Master Xandred laughed. "You will pay for all you've done to me, Deker."

Deker continued to look at him. "Like I said, I've done nothing to you."

"That's a lie and you know it," Master Xandred yelled, almost in Deker's ears. "Isn't it?"

Deker continued to look at him, and his body was betraying him from moving any further on the ground. "You've wanted a human form for centuries, but you'll never get one because your not like me. I was once fully human, but my past is of no concern to me nor is it to my own soul. I'll ask you this once, please leave me and my sword here alone, and let us worry of the ultimate duel. For you won't have to worry about the red Ranger anymore after I'm through slicing him in half."

Master Xandred lifted his sword above his head. "I'll make sure you leave this place dead tonight!"

The sword, its red coating glistening in the moonlight, came crashing down with the winds roaring all around the two in this part of the woods. Deker sensed this attack and, quicker than any wind on the planet, sprung past Master Xandred with a roll and landed in a crouching position. Master Xandred turned around, and grunted with the pain of missing his enemy. He would naturally swipe Nighloks and kill them with one blow. He raced over to Deker, and Deker reacted with a block to the sword charging at him, causing Master Xandred to lose his balance and Deker took advantage with a spin-kick and a triple punch to the gut of the master Nighlok. Master Xandred groaned from the blows, but managed to block Deker's fourth punch and give a punch of his own to Deker's gut, causing him to double over on his feet, the masters free hand on Deker's forarm. Deker regained himself and kicked the master in the gut, causing him to break the hold on Deker's forarm, and rolled past the master agian as the master's sword was about to make a killing blow, and ran, fast as the winds, to Urumassa. He managed to get the sword out of its protective shield in one yank, and placed the sword in a position of battle. He could sense the master's anger heating inside him. Master Xandred whirled around when he saw Deker roll past him, and saw Deker grab Urumassa, but now, he had bigger plans for the half-human.

"I need to destroy you, and I'll do it with what I like to call: Moogers, attack!"

Out of the trees and cold ground of the forest came the red and orange fish-faced monsters. Their red swords glistened just as Master Xandred and Deker's swords, and Deker armed himself with his strusty sword. The Moogers came at him, one by one, and Deker slashed at them down the row to the master.

One Mooger. Two Moogers. Three Moogers. They all fell at Deker's feet, blood pulsing from them.

Five Moogers. Seven Moogers. They kept coming, and Master Xandred made way past them and straight to Deker, who remained in his half-human form. Deker saw the master coming, and quickly shielded himself with his sword as Master Xandred's red sword rose into the air and striked down. Their swords had clashed, and the echo was louder than the winds roaring around them. They both grunted and strained for control of one another. Deker could feel his legs giving in, grunting and feeling his teeth clench from the struggle. Master Xandred chuckled at this sight, but grunted as he felt the struggle getting tighter.

"When are you going to learn that your pathetic Moogers and even you can't stop me?" Deker yelled, recatching his balance.

"And when will you learn to stay out of my way?" Master Xandred yelled, the Moogers gathering on the sides of the two clashed between them, jumping and laughing.

"I will fight you if I have to get to the red Ranger! Get out of my way!"

Deker gained his strength back in his legs and, within seconds, pulled against the swords. Urumassa and the masters sword unclashed, and Deker brought his trusty sword down fast. He slashed, and hit Master Xandred straight across his chest. The master groaned and lifted his sword and slashed himself, but Deker blocked the slash with his own sword and pushed the sword away from his skin, causing the master's sword, in his gripped hand, to fly above the master's head. Deker smirked and realized he was about to win this battle, just as he had planned to with the red Ranger. Then, just as the winds roared past him, a deep pain was felt on his back. Deker yelled in agony, and felt himself bleeding. He hit the ground, sparks flying past him, and felt the dirt grab hold of him while he gripped Urumassa tighter, and wouldn't let go. He wouldn't let Urumassa go for anything in this world. He was now at Master Xandred's feet, and the Moogers swarmed around the two of them, leaving the sides and going to the front and back of the two. Deker felt his arms being pulled away from him, and the ground arose from Deker's eyes. His arms were gripped tighter than when his sword clashed with the masters, and Deker saw, from the corner of his eyes, that two Moogers were holding him. Deker tried to move his arms, but he was held back tighter and tighter. He looked forward, groaning, his body aching. He now was staring into the face of Master Xandred, the remaining Moogers, and Octoroo.

"I'm impressed, Octoroo, that you could take down this half-human and, for my blessing, you have served me well. I'm glad I didn't destroy you." Master Xandred said, looking at Octoroo beside him.

"I'm glad too, Master. Now, what shall we do with him?" Octoroo asked, his pointed rod staring at the sky.

"Him? Why not destroy both of them!" Master Xandred yelled.

Deker grew confused, and heard himself groan a lump out of his throat. Moogers came around the corner, and Deker saw them, but also a figure to hard to see. It was groaning like Deker, and its voice sounded familair. It was Deker.

"Deker...help..." Cole said, his voice almost lost.

Cole had been searching for Deker for three days after their last talk, and happened to come upon some Moogers trying to destroy an animal's home. He took charge and raced to the Moogers and put up a good fight, able to fight them off one by one as their swords almost touched his skin. When the Moogers were gone, Octooroo appeared and blasted Cole, sending him into a state of darkness, just as before. Cole awoke to being tied at his hands and was being led by two Moogers down the forest path when Octooroo had spotted Master Xandred and told him of the capture. Master Xandred saw Cole, but something didn't feel right about him. He had questioned if this man was indeed Deker, but knew it wasn't, but still knew he looked like Deker, just a bit different in looks.

Now, Cole and Deker saw one another being held by Nighloks. One standing and the other crouched on the ground.

"I'm surprised there are two of you, Deker! Now, I will watch you suffer the same fate as that of your look-alike." Master Xandred said, walking to Cole, who was struggleing to get out of the grasps same as Deker.

"No," Deker whispered. "I didn't want this to happen."

Cole saw the dark and large figure before him, his mouth formed into the shape of an angry exspression, and his face covered with red and black spots with black streaks down his cheekbones. He lifted his red sword. Cole gasped.

"Don't fight it, look-alike, it will only destroy you!" Master Xandred laughed.

Deker looked on from the ground. Cole saw Deker's face, full of concern, struggleing against the Moogers, but turned back to the dark figure before him.

"I don't care what you do to me, just don't hurt him. He was once a human, and I think he should find a way to remember that time. I've lived my life."

"What?" Deker whispered.

Master Xandred laughed, and Octooroo joined him.

"Deker, where did you find this human? At the animal shelter?" Octoroo teased, laughing.

When the laughing ceased, the red sword was lifted again.

"If that's how you want it to be!" Master Xandred yelled.

Cole saw the sword come to his face. He knew this was the end. He wanted to gasp, but instead, he closed his eyes.

"No!" Deker yelled, and his blood lust got the best of him. A blue mist surrounded him.

Slash. Scream. Slash. Scream. Deker could here the Moogers just as his sword clashed into their chests and poured blood. He made way to Octoroo, who blasted a lightning bolt at him, but Deker twirled his strusty sword in midair and dodged the attack by slashing it. He struck Octooroo, and he flew across the area. He was now towards the master, and Deker screamed all the hate and agony out of his lungs that came from his cold heart and soul.

The Moogers dropped Cole and ran towards Deker, but they were down in seconds. Master Xandred lifted his sword, chuckling.

"Come to me." He muttered.

Cole lifted his head up from the impact of the Moogers, his eyes open. He saw Deker charging towards the Master, and the sword of Deker was glistening in the moonlight. The dark figure had its sword in midair, then it came down.

"Deker! Watch out!" Cole screamed, his lungs feeling as if they had collapsed.

It was light and fire that covered the area within seconds. The light was pale, white light, and the fire was the same red color as always, but this time with a darker shade. The fire roared just as the wind, and Cole shoved his body close to the ground, his face hitting the dirt, unable to guard himself. The light blinded Cole to the point he could have gone blind, but he only closed his eyes to see the light against them.

When the light died down, and the crackleing of fire filled some nearbye trees, Cole opened his eyes. He saw no Nighlok in sight.

Cole sat up after a long time staring at the flames and recounting the events of the past seconds. He had never been more scared than now. His hands remained tied behind his back, and his breath was normal, but his heart raced like it would die out any second.

"Deker?" Cole asked, possibly to himself.

Cole looked around, and all the flames around him made him certain the Nighloks were more powerful than Orgs. He saw the red and orange flames around the dirt and dry leaves, along with the campfire Deker had made, and the flames made way to some trees, the branches burning with fury. The white light was long gone, and the only thing left to see was the flames. Then, a figure emerged from them.

Deker was swollen with cuts and bruises. He was bleeding some at the head, and his white coat was torn a little and dirty from the ground. His black pants had little holes in them, but his black shirt was the most torn, his chest seen. Urumassa was in his hand, not injured or leaving a scratch, but blood was clearly seen on its sharp edges. Deker looked at Cole, breathing deeply, then, he gave way to the ground, falling upon his knees.

Cole saw this. "Deker!"

Deker was now on his knees. His body ached in pain. His head began to throb. Now he knew how his look-alik felt when he was sick.

"Don't worry about me! Just go! Save yourself!" Deker yelled, almost choked on his breath.

"No! I won't leave you!" Cole yelled, almost choked on his breath.

Deker couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted to destroy his look-alike at first, but now he has shown mercy to him. And now, Cole was showing mercy.

Cole fell back on the ground, the impact heavy and aching, and felt his eyelids get heavier. Then, he heard Deker speaking.

"We have to help him." Deker said.

"No," A female voice said. "We can't show pity for a human any longer, Deker. You know that."

"I won't leave him, and I wont leave you, either."

"You know I won't leave you, but it's not like you to be this way."

The voices faded from Cole's ears, and, soon, there was darkness again.


	9. Chapter 9: Fading With Time

CHAPTER 9: FADING WITH TIME

**Neverworld.**

Master Xandred groaned as he touched his wounds. Even Octoroo's treatments wouldn't help the pain and agony. He placed his red sword by his side and quickly drunk his medicine. He was now feeling lucky to have spared Octoroo's life. He was feeling more lucky to have damaged Deker's spirit in battle.

"Master, you should take it easy next time. Deker's too tough to defeat, and that's what every Nighlok knows." Octoroo said, preparing more medicine in the corner of the room.

"Ugh. Deker will get what's coming to him," Master Xandred said, then he slurped more medicine. "Just wait and see."

**Forest. Daytime.**

Cole felt the hot rays of the sun on his face. His muscles ached and felt that his hands were now at his sides. They were aching the most. He opened his eyes, and saw the sunlight in his face, almost blinding him as did the white light from the night before. He could here the sounds of birds in the air and the sound of a nearby river. The sounds were silent, but nothing was as loud as Cole's breathing. Cole felt like he was still trying to catch his breath after the events of last night, and he managed to get the clear air back into his nostriles again. Just as Cole was going to stand up, and as he sat up, he heard a noise. This noise was of agony. He couldn't tell what was making the sound, but looked around the area for any clues.

The area was different than from last night. He was now in a plain field full of grass and flowers. The river was on the side of the field and it flowed downstream in a peaceful harmony. He saw some rocks piled in the field at the corner, and the flowers surrounding it made a better touch. Cole had never seen this part of the forest. It was the only peaceful place to the area where chaos had erupted. Cole looked at himself and realized he was a dirty mess again. He saw the holes in his jeans get wider, and his pants were dirter along with his shirt, and he saw ropes tied around his wrists. One of the ropes covered the marks of the wolf. Then, he heard the sounds of agony again, and turned his head at the hint of the sound. He saw nothing at first, but then he saw them.

Deker was lying on the ground, his head in the lap of an unfimiliar monster. It took a few seconds for Cole to realize it, but he knew it was the female Nighlok that had spoken to him days before. Her instrument was on the ground next to her. Cole had almost forgot what she looked like, and seemed to feel a bit of regret for making her upset when they first met. Urumassa was at Deker's side, its protective shield glistening in the sun, and its chipped paint revealed a huge grey chunk in the middle.

"After all of these centuries, you are all I have left of my past. I love you, Deker, just as I did back then." The female said.

Cole arose to his feet slowly, feeling the ground and dirt beneath him, and stood upright. He felt a little dizzy, but soon managed to think clearly again. He quickly grasped the rope near the wolf scars and, with all of the strength left inside him, he pulled the rope from him and it fell to the ground. Cole did the same to the other rope on his right wrist, and it quickly fell to the ground. The two infront of him didn't move a muscle. Cole walked over to them slowly, but stopped halfway, feeling the agony in the heart of the female was getting stronger. He couldn't stand to feel the pain much longer. Regret poured into his soul.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you and Deker." He said.

The female Nighlok continued to look at Deker, stroking the side of his face and pushing back his black hair from his eyes. She was slightly breathing, and a sob almost broke through. Her legs were under her as Deker's body laid out infront of her.

Cole felt sorrow in his heart, and pain in his soul. He was reminded of the things that were buried within him. Maybe now, in this place and time, he needed to talk to someone, human or not.

"I lost a lot of things in my past, too. My parents were killed after I was born, and my friends I was with for a year had to move on with thier lives. I hated to leave them just as they hated to leave me. They knew I was different from them, and wondered if I could make it on my own. I have made it for many years now, just as I have in my past. But, worst of all, my best friend was killed by a wolf. He was a big dog with golden hair. It shined in the sunlight like a snake's skin. I miss him so much, and I know you miss Deker, too. He's here, but he's not here, too."

The female Nighlok turned her head. "You don't know a thing about me."

"Yes, I do. You told me your past. You can't deny that now." Cole said.

Deker groaned, his head twisting a little, and the female looked at him sharply. She laughed and continued to stroke his face.

"I guess you know more about me than I thought. Hmm. Deker was the only one who could get me out of trouble. He used to help me with my family, and how they treated him was different than any other man they came across. They treated him with respect, and he treated me like I was the last girl on Earth."

Cole noticed Deker's forhead was spotted with herbs, his hair almost blending it out. The female Nighlok looked back at Deker after a sob broke through. Cole understood this Nighlok now.

"I guess Deker was your first love, wasn't he?"

"You might say so. Haven't you ever been in love, human?"

"I'm in love with the wilderness. I love animals and the wild. That's why I like it here. I travel these woods without a care in this world."

Deker heard Cole's voice through his closed eyes, and he opened them just after Cole's words were caught and heard. He stirred as he felt a hand uncling from his face; he could tell it was Dayu.

Dayu noticed this and sighed. Deker sat up as he caught Dayu standing up and walking back towards Cole, but stopped an inch from him, her damaged harmonium in hand. Deker saw Urumassa beside him, but kept his hand from grabbing it right away. He felt the herbs stinging his forehead, and his muscles aching. He couldn't fight the red Ranger like this. Cole's words came back into Deker's mind.

"You should think twice about living here. You'll see more of what happened last night if you don't watch your back at every moment." Deker said, finally grabbing Urumassa.

Cole took this in. Perhapes Deker was right, but he was still wrong.

Being in the woods isn't the safest place in the world, Cole thought. But it's also the greatest.

"I think the woods is my home, but I'm not so sure anymore." Cole said.

The female Nighlok turned her head to look at Cole, then back at Deker. She did so almost every second. Her harmonium was at her chest. Cole noticed the dangleing strings and the black edges that were burned. He decided not to worry about it.

Deker got to his feet, his boots hitting the ground hard, and clenched his trusty sword in hand. "I should have a long way back to the city."

Cole became startled. "What do you mean?"

"I'm going back to the city to fight the red Ranger. If you try to stop me, I'll destroy you." Deker said, walking past Dayu and Cole.

Dayu clutched her harmonium and groaned. Cole looked at Deker, a sudden feeling of rage inside him, his regret fading.

"I was once a red Ranger! Why don't you fight me?" Cole yelled, his voice echoing across the field.

Deker stopped in his tracks. For once, he didn't feel the need to feel pity anymore, but another side of him still felt that way. It was time to leave the look-alike.

"Like I said, if you plan to stop me, you will be destroyed." He said.

Cole's heart sank. He felt as if his look-alike was dying before him, but he was still alive and going towards his battle. The battle that Cole could tell Deker wanted to have so badly.

Dayu sighed and walked down the field opposite of Deker, her instrument at her side, its strings flying in the wind. She dared to look at Deker from the corner of her eyes, and saw he was close to the forest clearing. Her heart sank as she saw him go into the forest. Alone.

How did I end up in this situation? Dayu thought. Why was it any of my business to get involved?

But then, it hit Dayu. She was already involved, but she had been involved since the day she met Deker: His long hair gentally swaying in the wind, his blue and white uniform glistening in the sunlight, his sword dangling at his side, walking in the clear sunlight in a field of flowers, a black horse behind him being pulled by a rope at the neck. The lasting image of Deker burned in Dayu's brain. She clenched her harmonium tighter, and looked up. She realized she was now in the forest as well. She had kept all her pain and agony inside her, but now, it wanted to come out. She caught a tear on her cheek and whiped it away. She continued down the forest path.

**Elsewhere. Forest.**

Deker knew he had lied to his look-alike, that "Cole", but it seemed that was the only way. He had sensed something was wrong with Dayu when she helped him and Cole escape from the flames of the forest area. When Deker went to rest on a nearby rock, Dayu was telling him of the field they could go to when she grabbed Cole and threw him onto the ground. Deker picked Cole up and placed his limp, but alive, body on the rock next to him. They started for the field, but Deker collapsed from everything that made him weak: the attacks of Master Xandred, Octooroo, the Moogers, and, most of all, his spirit falling. Master Xandred could sense when spirits were broken, and when Deker's broke, Master Xandred escaped the flames and white light and went back to the Neverworld. But Deker also knew he damaged Master Xandred. Not in spirit, but in strength.

Now, Deker walked along the path of the forest waiting for his spirit to heal. He needed to be of full strength to face the red Ranger, just as the red Ranger needed to be to face him. Deker smiled at the fact, but his smile faded when he set his thoughts back on Dayu.

**Field.**

Cole had seen Deker walk into the forest clearing and dissapear, only this time he was awake to see it. He had caught a tear on the cheek of the female Nighlok right before she left into another clearing, and felt that he could start crying as well.

But there was no time for any of that. And then there was.

Cole felt his whole body crumble towards the ground, regret coming back to him, and his knees hit first. He felt horrible for Deker, for the female Nighlok, and, for the most part, himself.

For Deker, it was that he couldn't remember his past, and everything around him was his enemy, for he has turned against himself.

For the female Nighlok, it was that she loved Deker and was his wife, but she gave up her and Deker's souls and turned evil.

For himself, it was all he had witnessed within the past weeks, and the anger and regret that filled his soul was getting deeper and deeper into his heart.

He felt his whole life was coming before him once again, but one moment he would never forget burned into his brain:

A clear day had awaited the Wild Force team, but the day for Cole was the saddest day of his life. He walked slowly across the grass of the cemetery, and saw the headstones on the sides of him, looking straight and still. He didn't want to be touched, but Princess Shayla was touching his arm and rubbing it slowly, but the comfort wasn't helping his broken spirit. Max and Danny were slowly walking behind him, and Alyssa and Taylor were at Cole's sides. It was Alyssa who had told him. Cole had his head down for a long time, and the pain in his neck was that of the pain in his heart. He wanted to scream and cry, but nothing inside would let him. When he finlly stopped walking when everyone else did, and he lifted his head only to see the three headstones infront of him. The graves of himself and his parents. Cole felt the tears swell in his eyes, and his emotion was the worst he had ever had. He started crying right where he was standing, and pulled away from the ones who could understand his pain. He sobbed for a long time infront of the graves, his heart breaking and his soul weakening, and Alyssa tried to talk to him, but no use came. Taylor shined some light on Cole's sad mood that day when she said his parents could have been alive, living in the jungle just as Cole had.

But that wasn't true. Cole's parents were gone, and now, in midst of the field, a part of Cole was gone too. The same tears swelled in his eyes again.


	10. Chapter 10: Love And Hate

CHAPTER 10: LOVE AND HATE

**Forest. Nighttime.**

It rained for hours that all the birds in the trees moved to lower ground and the little animals hurried to their homes. When Deker heard the thunder in the far distance from where he was standing in the forest, he made way towards a nearby cave that was deserted of human contact, unlike the last one he entered where it was on the outskirts of the city, where he kept the red Ranger for the time until the gold Ranger stepped in and helped his friend. This cave gave Deker shelter when the rain came down in multiple groups. It ran across the edges of the cave and dripped onto the floor. When Deker saw the rain from where he was sitting, it came down like a waterfall and had a hint of white blended in the midst of the groups of rain. Urumassa was beside him the entire time, and he stroked it with each passing moment waiting for the rain to clear. Deker had not planned to sleep in the cave.

Now, the forest was clear of rain, but drips of water rolled off the plants and onto the dirt and grass.

Animals bounced against the branches and let the drops of water fall onto the ground below, like the rain hadn't stopped and kept going. The fading sun was no help to Deker when he realized he was in an unknown part of the forest. When the sun dissapeared in the horizon, Deker stopped in his tracks of the forest path and, clutching Urumassa tightly, walked over to a nearby tree to rest. The lush green forest was no longer the same after a rainstorm, and everything was wet, even the trees. But Deker didn't mind getting wet from the rain or from a river. He knew he would survive the night.

The crickets chirped aloud as the moon shined bright in the sky, and the birds flew back into the trees again. Deker heard the animals around him and began to feel rage. His spirit was still broken, and his battle with the red Ranger wasn't going as planned. He wanted the untimate duel, but it seemed the closer he got, the farther it slipped away.

Deker was lost in thought he didn't notice Dayu on the other side of the area. She was standing on a smooth stone surface, clutching her damaged harmonium.

Dayu had been wounded in her heart by her sadness that she didn't care what path she was on in the forest. She just wanted to be alone, but she has been alone for centuries. Her wounded heart didn't let her rest or talk. All she could do was sob. Her tears felt like they were buried in her cheekbones and wouldn't let go. The rainstorm wasn't any help, her body soaked by the water and her head throbbing from the sobs. The forest around her nothing but streaks of white and the thunder loud enough to hurt one's ears. The dirt and grass was in puddles around her, and Dayu walked through them like she would walk through the Samurai Rangers. All the time of the rainstorm, Dayu cried harder and wailed louder than the thunder. The rainstorm went away after many hours, and she continued her way. When she noticed a cave on the far edge of the forest, she had planned to cry her eyes out there, but when Deker emerged from the cave, she took pursuit.

Deker looked at Dayu, but his crushed spirit left him out of words. He hadn't talked since he left the field. He didn't even talk to Urumassa. He felt like his blood lust would grab hold of him any second.

Deker felt like a lump was in his throat. "I have only this duel to look forward to."

"I know," Dayu said, walking down the smooth slope. "I wish I knew why you left your look-alike like that, but I know we don't trust humans."

Dayu was now close to Deker's body. He didn't move a muscle from the tree he was leaning upon. It seemed like forever had passed when Deker looked at her.

"My look-alike is of no concern to me." He said.

"Maybe so, but don't you think helping him was a concern to you?" Dayu asked, clutching her harmonium.

Deker clutched Urumassa. "You dare question me about concern? I may have been a little concerned about my look-alike when I helped him when he was sick, but I had to leave him alone in this forest. After all, its what he wanted. But no matter how much I try to get away from him, he always seems to find me or I somehow find him."

"What about what you want, Deker? Don't you want to be at peace?"

"Yes. But I wont find it until my important mission is complete."

Dayu knew what he was talking about. The ultimate duel was his only mission. She took all this in, and felt more tears coming into her eyes.

She looked at Deker through his eyes. "Isn't there anything else important to you?"

Deker grew confused, but he already knew the answer. Dayu had asked this question to him many times before, and not once did he tell her the truth. The only time he told her the truth was when she helped him get away from Master Xandred the first time he tried to attack him by the Sanzu River. He felt, at the time, that he had owed great honor for her. When Dayu asked the same question, he said the only thing important to him was the ultimate duel. The times he lied, however, he said the things that were important to him was keeping Urumassa safe, along with keeping away from Master Xandred.

This time, he felt like he needed to tell the truth. Not just to Dayu, but to himself.

"Yes." Deker said.

Dayu felt tears come down her face. She was happy, but sadness kept her from feeling that way for too long. All she wanted was the Deker she knew back.

"What is it, Deker?" She asked.

Dayu didn't realize she was closer to Deker than before. She now saw her hand on his face and drew it back. She felt pain in her heart from doing so. When she looked up, Deker was looking at her, confused, and she brought her head back down, looking at the forest floor.

"Dayu," Deker said. "I know that the ultimate duel is the only thing that is important to me, but now it seems as if something else has been buried within me trying to be of importance as well."

Dayu continued to look at the ground. She didn't want to look at him in the eyes now. It didn't feel right to her. She was concentrating on something more deep within her.

"And what would that be?" She asked.

Deker took a deep breath. The moment of truth had come. "It is you, Dayu."

Dayu's heart skipped a beat. No, three beats. She was shocked beyond her pain and concentration. She knew Deker had no memory of her, but never did she think he would have anything to do with her after all of these centuries. She continued to look down, wanting to say words, but a sob suddenly escaped her lips.

Deker heard the sob. It echoed in his ears.

Did I say something wrong? Deker thought. Did I hurt her feelings by telling her mine?

Deker clutched Urumassa tighter. He felt his spirit come back together.

"I should go now." He said.

Dayu lifted her head, and Deker was about to be out of her sight for good. He was already clinged off the tree, and he was only a few steps away from walking into the darkess of the forest that was already around them. She grabbed his arm and, within seconds, almost threw him back towards her.

"Deker!" She screamed, but more sobs came.

Deker was confused by Dayu's actions. She was happy to see him at first, but after he told her of his feelings after all these centuries, she was sad. He felt his spirit coming back into place. He loosened his grip on Urumassa.

"I don't understand you. Why are you crying?" Deker asked.

Dayu sighed, but another sob came. "You'll never understand."

"I'll try." Deker said, his hand on her red and black face.

Dayu felt a warm feeling engulf her. She hadn't felt Deker's touch for a very long time, and she felt his warm hand by touching it with her own, the same way she did when they were both together. It made her sob again. She had no choice but to look at him now.

"Everytime I think about it, the more I feel sorry for you." Dayu said.

Deker grew confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Deker, I haven't felt this good in a long time."

"What do you mean 'a long time'?"

Dayu's concentration finally paid off. She felt a blue mist engulf her.

**Elsewhere. Forest.**

Cole had left the field, but not down the same forest paths Deker and the female Nighlok went. He felt his tears again, and the rain had blended them as soon as it poured. Cole had walked along the edge of the river until he found a small log that led to the other side of the forest. He crossed it, taking his time, and soon entered the dense and green lush part of the forest. It was like he had entered the jungle again, and that it was new ground to uncover. But as soon as the rainstorm came, Cole couldn't see anything but white streaks of rain, and it soaked him to the point he felt clensed on the inside and outside. His thoughts of the past had stopped burning in his head, and he finally managed to walk with hope knowing he was back to basics again: he was alone, like it all started.

But something about this part of the forest was familair. It was like he had seen this place before, and he knew exactly where to turn to. When he walked a few miles of so, he encountered dangling vines and odd-shaped trees. But when he got a closer look, he realized he was in a cemetery.

But there was only one grave.

Cole saw its shape: it wasn't standing like a regular grave, but it was a large stone with moss and grass growing around it or on it. It was almost engulfed by the moss, but could be visible only when you got close enough. It was deprived of writing, for no one had bothered to let the grave's presence be known. Down below the grave was dark soil. It blended in with the darkness of the night that no one could barly see it. Beyond the grave was a dark clearing of the forest, where most wild animals would roam in the shadows. Around the sides were ferns and little vines coming from the roots of the trees.

It all was a unfamilair sight, but Cole wasn't afraid to look at this unmarked grave. No one had seemed to have visited this place, that is, except for Cole himself.

This was his golden retreiver's gravesite.

Looking at his best friend's grave, that Cole made himself, brought back sorrow and regret that Cole felt earlier on. He began to remember what Deker had said, and what the female Nighlok had said about Deker and herself.

But now he remembered what happened on that night:

The sun was setting, and the crickets and birds chirped like there was no tomorrow, as they seemed to do almost every night. The winds were light, but a cool breeze of winter was still around after many months of snow. Vines dangled from the trees, and Cole swung from one to another, feeling the winds in his face as the golden retriever ran along on the ground, looking up at its master. Cole heard the retriever bark, and decided to let go of the vine. He felt more wind in his face, and his hands and feet hit the ground hard, but not hurting Cole. The golden retriever hopped into Cole's arms, just before he could stand up, and licked his face.

"Good boy. Good boy." Cole said, laughing.

When the retreiver finally got out of Cole's arms, it began to tug at Cole's pantsleg, which Cole didn't like very much, but knew his friend was trying to help him. Cole stood upright and the retreiver letted go of the pantsleg. They both began walking down the forest path, but it soon got too dark to see which way to turn for shelter. The retriever stuck out its toung and wagged its tail, but the howling of a wolf stopped all of that.

The retriever began to whine, for it was not use to wild animals of the forest, being around humans of the city for so long before Cole came around, and laid down on the ground. Cole saw this and walked over to it and rubbed its head and back.

"It's alright, boy. It's alright. Don't worry." Cole said, but no use came.

The retriever continued whining, and Cole continued to calm his friend, but this time in the language he and the retriever knew so well. It didn't take long for the retriever to stop whining, and Cole finally got up from his crouching position.

Then, it happened too fast.

The retriever was thrown onto the other side of the area and Cole gasped when the retriever started growling and whining all at once. The growls were defensive and the whines were hurtful.

Cole got a good look at the animal with his best friend. "No!"

Cole raced over to help his friend, managing to pull the retriever away and throw what was on it farther onto the other side. The retriever was whining uncontrolibly, and Cole saw the scratches and blood dripping from them to see that the retriever was covered. Then, Cole felt the retriever spring past him. Cole turned around, and saw the figure of the other animal was close to him, and could have attacked him, had it not been for the retriever fighting the figure off.

The moon in the blue and black clouded sky gave light to the other figure. It was a wolf.

Cole talked in the animal language, and the wolf raced past the retriever and straight towards Cole. It wasn't long until the wolf was on Cole's chest, growling, snarling, and trying to claw at him. Cole grunted as the wolf's fangs got closer to his neck and Cole punched it's jaw with his free hand. The wolf whined a little, but snarled and dug its claws into Cole's forearm. Cole screamed, and the wolf snarled.

As Cole tried to get the wolf off of him, he heard the retriever whining in the corner of the area. Cole looked over some, and saw it was lying on the ground, blood covering its golden coat. The wolf caught Cole's attention again, snarling, and prepared to sink its fangs into Cole's neck, its sharp claws deeper in Cole's forearm. Cole noticed his free hand was near some objects unclear to him, and he quickly reached for it while keeping his eyes on the wolf. The wolf continued snarling, and it was close enough that Cole could see its eyes shining brighter than before and its teeth sharper than its claws. Cole's free hand finally grabbed something, and, without thinking, reaching under the thick black coat, Cole hit the wolf with the object.

The wolf was snarling one moment, but now, its blood covered Cole's hand, dripping onto his shirt, and the sharp object.

It took all of Cole's strength to get the wolf off of him, and when he saw the dead body of the wolf in the light of the moon, Cole felt betrayed in spirit. He had never killed an animal before.

When Cole looked up into the clearing, his heart sank. In the pale moonlight, among the trees and dangleing vines, the golden retriever was on the ground, blood on its coat, and its once happy life was now over.

Cole felt tears swell into his eyes when he saw his best friend like this, and a tear streaked down his face when he tried to talk to his friend, but no reply.

Cole didn't sleep that night, for he carried his beloved golden retriever, who had been his best friend for years, across the darkened forest and felt the blood ooze its way down his pants. Cole found a spot that was deserted of human contact, and quickly found a huge stick. He carved the end of the stick into an oval shape with a smaller stick, and slowly digged the grave.

It took many hours, but Cole managed to get the grave fixed. He grabbed his best friend and, stroking its golden coat one last time, he gentally put the golden retriever into the grave. He then used the same stick to put the dirt back on the grave, and began to feel his heart breaking as he grabbed a stone from a nearby river and carried it to the grave. He placed it above the golden retriever's head, and Cole's heart broke completely. He continued walking down the forest path, but not near the river, back to where the wolf was laying in the dirt of the forest. Cole passed it, but left it where it was, no matter how much he didn't want to.

**Present Time. Forest.**

Cole remembered all of this, and still felt his heart breaking. Then, he finally managed to feel the tears streak down his face. They came hard and strong.


	11. Chapter 11: A Long Time Coming

CHAPTER 11: A LONG TIME COMING

**Forest. Dawn.**

Deker felt like he had been clensed of his damaged spirit, and all that remained of it had fallen back into place. He saw Urumassa lying on the ground at his feet, but didn't bother to grab it. He heard the birds chirping in the treetops of the forest, finally dry from the rain, and saw the streaks of brown and red peak in the horizon. The sun was about to arise, but Deker didn't want to see it. He wanted to remember the lasting moments he had with Dayu.

He felt his hand rub against her back and shoulders as she rested her head on his chest. One of her hands gentally crossed over him as she was turned towards him, her face almost met with Deker's. Lips almost sealed. She had been asleep for many hours, and her face was like that of an angel's: beautiful beyond repair.

Her hair was a perfect shade of brown, coming down, straight and glistening, past her shoulders. Her eyes danced with perfect shades of blue, and they had a warm feeling that arose in Deker. She was curved like a chipped stone, perfect in every way, able to stand on her own two feet and look Deker in his eyes to tell him how much she loved him. Her smile let Deker's heart melt, for that smile was the perfect smile about her. She was in rags, dirty and fluttered down to her kneecaps, but Deker didn't mind them. He felt like he knew Dayu closer than he ever felt before.

Deker had never seen Dayu like this, for she was more beautiful than the light of the moon shining in the sky at night. He wished he could have known this was Dayu all along, able to be half-human just as himself. She could have been cursed as well.

The night before seemed like a perfect harmony. The light of the moon gave both Deker and Dayu the chance to look into each other's eyes and capture their touch with their hands. The crickets and birds were chirping in the distance, and it let Dayu to be able to rub her hand through Deker's hair, feeling the striaght dents in them and the wet tips near his shoulders. Deker felt Dayu's skin and felt his heart beat faster. Something inside of him was awakening.

And when they kissed, it was deep and powerful that they didn't break it, but kept going.

It felt as if the world had passed them as they continued to embrace each other through the deep kisses. When they finally managed to break the kiss, they gazed at each other, catching their breaths, deeper than before.

"Here we are." Deker had said, stroking her face.

"Together again." Dayu had said, her hands stroking the pieces of black hair out of his green eyes.

The night felt as if it would never leave, and they both wanted it to be kept that way.

But the sun's rays now peaked across the treetops, getting ready to stretch its way into the sky. Dayu felt the rays hit her face and felt its warmth under her closed eyes. She knew she was awake, but feeling the sun on her skin again was a moment she wanted to last, just like Deker. She opened her eyes and saw the forest around her. It was still alittle dark, and light almost shined through, and Dayu felt tears come back to her again, for she knew it was time.

When she looked beside her, Deker was gone, and so was her heartbeat. Then, she heard a noise. But it wasn't an ordinary noise, it was the sound of a voice. She listened closer, and it was Deker. Dayu gasped and looked around her, for Deker had not left her after all, and felt her heartbeat come back. She looked into the clearing, and Deker was there, sitting on the ground with Urumassa, looking into the far distance that was, in the horizon, the shape of the city.

"...We will soon take revenge, Urumassa. Let me assure you." Deker said, looking at Urumassa, then back at the horizon.

Dayu stood upright, unable to make out the first of Deker's words, and, after adjusting her dirty nightgown, walked slowly to him, seeing the blood and dirt that was smuged onto his white thin coat. She looked at the shades covering the sky, and the sun was at its peak of return. Dayu walked faster than she was, and quickly knelt down and threw her hands around his neck, feeling his warm back in the process. She felt Deker's hand come to her own, and he grasped it in a way Dayu couldn't understand. She let her head rest against his shoulder, and looked at his face. It wasn't the same face she saw last night.

"What's wrong, Deker?" Dayu asked, worried, stroking his hair.

Deker knew what the matter was, but a lump in his throat kept him from saying the words. He clutched Urumassa tighter, and looked at Dayu dead in the eyes.

"The time is now, Dayu. I must do what I have been waiting to do for centuries." He said.

Dayu felt tears coming again, but she kept them from showing. "You're going to fight, Deker, and you will be free."

Deker felt a smile come onto his face as he moved his legs under him, causing Dayu to uncling her hands from his neck, instead going to his arms. He was now looking at Dayu's beautiful face with his, and felt his heart jump in his chest. Dayu saw Deker's face now, and couldn't help but feel the tears streak down her face. They had came slow and easy. Deker whiped his fingers across the tears and let them fall onto his fingertips, feeling the sorrow come into his heart.

"Don't cry for me. I will always love you, Dayu. Rememer that." He said.

Dayu grabbed his hand and pushed it against her face, feeling the warm presence. "I know."

Deker felt a stinging mist in his eyes and blinked it out, its stings cutting deeper into his eyes. Dayu saw this and rubbed her fingertips across his eyes. His eyes were now red on the inside like veins on a human's wrist.

"I must go," Deker said. "But, promise me, whatever happens to me in the duel, you will remember me not as a half-human, not as a Nighlok, but as a man you loved."

Dayu felt a sob on her lips, and it made way. "I promise, Deker. But, promise me, you'll remember me no matter what happens to you."

"I promise, Dayu," Deker said, his lips closer to Dayu's. "But I need you to return to the Neverworld."

Dayu almost pulled away from Deker, but kept her feelings to herself. "I won't go back."

"You must. It's for your sake. I don't want to see the Samurai Rangers hurt you."

"My mind has already been made up, Deker, and you can't change it."

"I see."

Then, they kissed again, and it felt deeper than before. It was a feeling Deker had never thought could be possible within himself. Dayu felt all the memories of Deker returning to her, and felt more tears come down her cheekbones while she still was deep in the kiss. She could feel the rays of the sun closer to her and Deker, and then the sun peaked into the sky. Then, a blue mist engulfed her, and the kiss ended suddenly.

Deker opened his eyes and saw that Dayu was no longer the same. She was back in the form he had known her for for all of these centuries. He felt his heart break, no longer seeing the woman that was a beautiful sight to him. He broke away from her, standing upright as she remained on the ground, clutching herself and letting out sobs of agony. Pain. Deker felt the same pain hit his heart, and walked over to the smooth rock they were laying upon the night before, and grabbed her harmonium. He saw the burned edges and the loose strings dangleing to the forest floor, but he didn't seem to care about it. He walked over to Dayu and set her harmonium at her side, as she continued to sob aloud.

"Remember me," Deker said, standing upright, Urumassa in hand. "And never forget."

Dayu took all this in. her pain and agony led to this moment. "I won't. Oh, I love you, Deker."

"I love you, Dayu."

It was that fast when Dayu looked up and saw nothing but the green forest, and she was alone.

**Hours Later. Forest.**

Cole felt like he could crumble into the dust and fall into a deep sleep, for he hadn't slept in days. He felt the cold winds, lighter than usual, come to his skin and leave a chilling mark. He didn't seem to care which way he was going, all he wanted to do was rest. Finally get away from the troubles that had followed him.

Since he left the golden retriever's grave, he decided to continue down the path that he remembered so well: the path he was attacked by the squid monster and the moogers. He saw this path, and realized he had travled very far to make it back here again. Cole clutched his stomach, feeling hunger inside him, for his torn side was completly healed now, and felt a need to find some herbs for it. He knew which one's were edible and which one's were not.

"Going somewhere?" A voice said. It echoed across the path and into the winds.

Cole stopped in his tracks, and realized the voice was that of a monster. "I have nowhere to turn to, Deker."

Deker watched as Cole was continuing to walk his way down the path, seeming to ignore him. He chuckled, and seemed to enjoy it.

"Well, then, I guess you'll be happier once I defeat the red Samurai Ranger. I battle him in a short distance from today." He said, stroking Urumassa, smirking.

Cole looked at Deker, stopping in his tracks completely, but didn't feel the same helpful half-human he was before. He now sensed a greedy, fight-to-the-kill man.

"I see." He said.

Deker looked at Cole, confused. "You're not going to stop me? After all, I abandoned you back at the field."

"No. I wont stop you. But there's one thing I need to ask you. Just this one time."

Deker clutched Urumassa, his blood lust craving. "What is it, human?"

Cole looked at Deker dead in the eyes. "What makes you think the red Ranger is your opponent?"

Deker felt his heart turn cold. He knew the answer, but didn't let the words come. Instead he looked at Urumassa and smiled.

"We're equal partners, human. We could both take on the red Ranger, since you were one yourself." He said.

The words hit Cole's heart like a bullet. He had never thought Deker was like that.

"That was a long time ago. Unlike you, Deker, I have made a pact within myself to never turn to the dark side. Ever."

"Well, I guess you're not the human I thought you were, trying to be my friend."

"And you're not the same person who saved me from sickness and in battle, even when I could hold my own."

Deker's smile faded. He knew his look-alike, that "Cole", was telling the truth.

"I will be a burden to you no longer." Deker said.

Then, he began to walk away.

Cole felt horrible, and his regret had come back to him. But there was also a feeling of hope, that Deker wouldn't have to fight and find a better way. But Cole knew that wasn't the answer, after all, he tried to not fight once and it didn't go as planned. All he tried to do was find out if the Org before him that day had a heart, and, when he listened close, he didn't hear a beat. Not one sound.

Cole saw Deker's white coat bounce in the wind, and saw his look-alike walk away from everything he got himself into, or was it Cole himself?

Continuing down the path, and turning his eyes away from Deker for good, Cole decided to keep on walking until he found a place to rest. His muscles ached, his head throbbed, his stomach growled, and he felt his life coming to a close. But, no, he wasn't going to parish in this place.

**Hours Later. Nighttime.**

Cole felt his head throb more and more, and he began to smell death in the air. He felt the winds pick up speed, and his muscles ached to the point they couldn't move anymore. Then, Cole felt himself getting dizzy, his body crumbling, everything around him dissapearing. Then, he saw darkness.

**Morning.**

Cole felt something sticking to his body and pulling him closer. He wanted to get up, but his body didn't let him. He smelled something in the air, and it didn't seem familair. When he decided to open his eyes, they felt heavy, and, fluttering them, he saw water. The water was rolling onto the shore. Cole continued to look around, and he saw sand all around him, with weeds and rocks within the breaks in the sand. He saw the skyline was a shade of white, and, looking behind him, th forest was still its lush green color. Cole felt his heart crumble just as his body did, and knew he was near human contact. Civilization.

When he decided to get up from the sand, he felt the wind roar at his ears and face stronger than before. Everything around him was a shade of white, and the sun was hiding in the skyline. Cole groaned as his muscles ached worser than last night, and, when he liftd himself up to see the surroundings better, he felt them stinging on the inside. Cole realized the smell he had sensed was the smell of salt.

He was on a beach, but this one wasn't like any beach he had seen in his days as a Power Ranger.

The last time he saw the beach was when Merrick, the lunar wolf Ranger, had been freed from the evil that kept him locked in a tomb for 3,000 years. Cole remembered how they ran across the beach clearing, smelling the clear air, feeling the cool breeze, and keeping up at the same pace towards Merrick. But, on that day, Merrick wanted nothing to do with them, as much as they wanted him to be apart of the team.

Years ago. That was years ago. And something in Cole wanted him to remember his past.

Cole had been thinking too hard on his past that he didn't realize he was walking along the edge of the forest, the rolling water hitting his pantslegs and leaving a cool feeling unlike any other. The smell of the salt was heavier now, and Cole couldn't hardly catch his breath. He felt that his lungs could have crashed on him, but his breath was still in his body, and his body was still aching from everything that had happened to him lately. Cole began to ponder on it, and realized his whole life was nothing but an adventure after another, and he didn't seem to mind it at all.

Cole stopped in the middle of the shore, and felt the water come up to his kneecaps. As much as Cole needed to ponder on the past, there was always a chance to ponder on the future.

Now that I am alone, Cole thought. It's time to find myself once more.

Then, a sudden echo, like that of a cannon, stopped everything.

Cole turned around, gasping, seeing black specks come towards his eyes. They hit his eyes, and the impact was intense. It almost knocked Cole into the ocean completly. He tried to look up, at the cause of the specks, catching his balance and placing his two feet back on the edge of the shore. As the specks stung in his eyes, Cole felt tears treak down his face of shock. Of pain. He whiped both of his eyes roughly with his arm, and continued to try to look up at the cause. When he finally managed to get out all the specks, Cole caught the last bits of dark, black smoke in the distance, fluttering into the sky, never to be shown on its presence.

Somone had been fighting. No. Something with great power was fighting.

Cole raced away from the shore, from the cool water, but stopped abruptly when he saw a figure in the clearing. He couldn't make out the shape, and the white skyline wasn't of any help. All he could see was the figure weilding a pointed object, one Cole had never seen before, and it glistened and shined a light in Cole's eyes, causing Cole to shield his eyes from the source. He saw the figure twirl its pointed object into thin-air, and it came down with a drop to one knee. Cole tried to unshield his eyes, but the light shinging from the object burned his eyes deeply. Cole put his hand to his eyebrows and looked through the shadows.

He saw, clearly now than ever, that the figure was a red colored, sword weilding, and strong figure.

No. This wasn't a figure. This was a red Ranger.

Cole had never seen anything like this red Ranger. It's muscles were strong, from what Cole could see, and its fighting style was of nothing Cole had seen before. This red Ranger was covered with a red suit, with black edges along the legs and chest, and helmet, with black streaks across the face. It looked like the red Ranger was sparing, preparing for his next match, but, as Cole got a closer look, he saw another figure clashing swords with the red Ranger.

The figure was white, red faced, and a sword was on his back, but now in his hand. The figure was Deker.

Cole couldn't believe it: Deker was fighting the red Ranger just as he had planned for so long.

"This can't be happening." Cole said, nearly a whisper to himself.

Cole kept sheilding his eyes, and saw the red Ranger and Deker clash swords continually, not breaking for breath one time. It seemed that Deker had the upper hand, able to clash his sword in different directions, for the red Ranger only clashed in one. Cole felt his heart race in his chest when the red Ranger rolled past one of Deker's attacks, and landed perfectly on his two red feet.

"Haven't you had enough, Deker?" The red Ranger yelled, clear as day to Cole.

Cole felt that he could unshield his eyes, and did so. He could see more clearly now since the red Ranger's sword was out of view. Deker came running behind the red Ranger, for the red Ranger had paced itself and ran to the edge of the clearing, where Cole could see, and clashed swords again, this time more stronger than before. Deker kept slashing and fighting at the red Ranger, but it seemed the red Ranger wouldn't give up, able to keep his sword steady against Deker's trusty sword Urumassa.

Cole watched on as the red Ranger slipped one of its feet away from the clearing, and catched its balance after a short struggle. Cole saw some fog clear from the clearing, and the two figures, the red Ranger and Deker, were fighting stronger than ever. Suddenly, Cole saw that Deker slashed at the red Ranger's chest, and swisted Urumassa above his head.

"It's time to bring my horrible curse to an end!" Deker yelled, Urumassa in hand.

Cole felt his heart skip a beat, and realized that the red Ranger was at a downfall.

"Oh, no." Cole whispered.

"You're right about one thing! It's time for this to end, Deker!" The red Ranger yelled, swisting his sword in hand.

Then, the swords clashed again...but the red Ranger's didn't make it.

Cole gasped, realizing the pain and agony of his soul was that of the red Ranger's pain, as the red Ranger's arm was being torn from the bone, Deker's sword sticking into its arm.

Cole heard a sound echo across the beach, and realized it was him laughing. No. It was Deker.

Everything Cole had witnessed in the forest was nothing compared to this. The battles with the Moogers, the squid monster, the meeting with Master Xandred, it all was too hard to explain. But this sight, this sight of Deker getting the glory he wanted so badly, was the hardest. Cole felt a lump in his throat, and saw the purple streaks go across the white skyline. The sun had to be setting, and the battle was about to be at its end.

It took Cole a few seconds to see it, but, it wasn't a sunset. It was an attack of the century.

The red ranger's arm was still attached to his body, but it dangled limplessly as he threw his sword into the air and crashed down onto the other figure before him. That figure being the one that saved Cole's life, and helped Cole through every battle and told him everything about Master Xandred.

Now, Deker's sword was above his head, but also in his hand. Deker was walking towards the edge of the clearing, limping, damaged, and bruised.

Cole had never seen Deker like this, and felt sadness and anger, but something also was satisfied.

Deker had been talking, but his words were now too weak to hear.

All Cole could make out was:

"Well fought, red Ranger, you've freed me...from my torment. Thank...you."

Then, Cole saw a rock crumble down the side of the clearing, and realized the clearing was that of a cliff. Cole gasped when he realized the cliff, but more to the fact he saw the rock falling downward towards the sand. He tried to look for Deker on the cliff, but all he could see was a red figure, standing there with his sword by his side, looking away from its opponent.

Cole saw the fog clear, the smell of the salt worsen, and, in a blinding moment, a purple mist engulfed the rock. But, it wasn't a rock. It was Deker.

Cole felt his heart sink, his breath shallow, and his eyes remained upon the purple mist that was dissapearing into the sky before him.

Then, it was gone.

Cole walked a little towards the clearing, trying to wake himself of this terrible dream, to be back in the forest and hear the sounds of the animals around him and the smell of salt would be nothing but thin-air.

But this wasn't a dream of his. This was real.

Cole's kness gave way, and collapsed onto the stinging sand. It rubbed against his bare flesh as the holes of his pants got bigger. Cole wasn't sure what to make of this site, and he looked away from the sky, tears fluttering down his face and onto his neck, the same as it did when Deker was curing him of his fever. Everything was silent now, and the only thing left to ponder was these lasting momnts, at least that was what Cole had thought. He dared to look up at the cliff again, and saw, with his teary and hurting eyes, that more figures had come to fight the red Ranger. No. They didn't fight him, they were helping him.

Cole saw these figures and stood upright. He felt he needed to confront these figures. These Power Rangers.

But, no, Cole couldn't do that. He continued to sit on his knees, and the tears came heavier than before. There was no words to be spoken, for all of the yells and screams of the red Ranger and Deker took away the moment to speak now.

Cole felt his heart beating heavier than before, and, within seconds, it began to hurt. It hurt worser than any pain Cole had felt in a long time. He began to want to scream and cry, but something inside him wouldn't let him.

This side of him kept his mouth closed, and his soul in place, but his heart was broken, and his feeling of peace was almost gone. And his only look-alike on this Earth was gone. Forever.


	12. Chapter 12: Epilogue

CHAPTER 12: EPILOGUE

A dark shadow was before him, and all of the time he layed there on the ground, the shadow didn't want to wake him, for he was better off this way than to be angry, for this shadow could tell this man was angry at something bigger than himself. The shadow lifted its helmet off the ground and quickly took off to drink some water. Darkness almost set in, for the night was getting harder to follow or see through.

Cole had been here for quite some time. On this beach, where no one didn't seem to come. Cole felt his tears on his cheekbones, and they had been permenatly sealed into Cole's heart, for Cole knew his peace with himself was better off left alone, but something in Cole was determined to find peace, no matter what the cost or next adventure that he was to face.

Cole heard footsteps and opened his heavy green eyes. He saw the sky had turned into shades of blue and black, and the moon was getting ready to find its way into the sky just as the sun had been. Cole saw, after seconds of listening to the sounds of crickets in the lush green forest away from him, that the moon was that of a full moon. It sank Cole's heart.

"Deker liked the full moon. There was a hint of humanity in him." Cole whispered to himself.

The rolling water was now still, and everything around this beach, even the wind, was quite. The forest seemed like the only thing that was full of noise. But the forest was far away from Cole, and Cole wanted to race back into it and leave the civilized world behind. But something in him wanted him to stay on this beach, and Cole obeyed it without realizing he was covered with bandages and a strange liquid that ran up and down his red wounds. Cole realized he was still in the sand on the beach, and he sat up, feeling his muscles ache and the medicine sting on his skin.

Cole looked around him, and saw the figure near a strange darkened figure, lifting its head up to drink a substance that appeared to have been water. Cole crouched back at this sight. The figure was that of a human, such as himself, and it seemed that this human would try to bring Cole back into the world he wanted to leave behind. Cole tried to speak, but his words were almost choked by a lump in his throat. He groaned instead, and the figure twisted its head. Cole got a good look, then his heart started to race.

"I-I-Is it really you?" Cole asked, his heart beating faster with his words.

"Yes, it's me, Cole," The figure said, then placed the bottle of water on the darkened figure. "Leutinent Taylor Earnheart reporting for duty."

Taylor whiped the water drops off of her mouth and quickly walked towards Cole, who was now crouching and trying to sit up. She knew Cole had been looking at her in his state, but she didn't want to disturb him.

"I'm sorry for the bandages, but its my duty to help people in need nowadays. The Air Force lets us help the innocent now, just like when we were a team, remember?" She said.

"Yes, Taylor. I remember." Cole said, his head throbbing from standing on his two feet.

Taylor sensed something wasn't right about Cole. Not in appearace, but in his mood. Cole had been happy to see Taylor one minute, then he was sad. His eyes looked at the sand, then back up at Taylor, then back down again, as if he was pondering.

"Something's wrong with you, Cole." She said.

"There is. I-Its just that I-I-"

"You what?"

Cole looked at her, feeling his heart slowing down from the pace of before.

"I lost a good friend of mine, then I met someone who looked like me, only different. And I was sick for a time, then I got better and met someone who loved my look-alike."

Taylor became confused, looking at her once teammate. She wanted to laugh, but didn't want to. She placed a hand on Cole's shoulder. "There's only one you, Cole. Remember that."

"You don't believe me, do you?" Cole said, staring at the sand.

"I do, but I think living in the forest has gotten to your head."

"Maybe, but I wont live in a world where you feel caged like an animal."

Taylor knew Cole was right. She released her grip on his shoulder. "Okay, then, you win."

Cole didn't want to leave Taylor now, but he had to return to the place he felt the most connection to.

"I must go, Taylor. Can you at least tell the others I'm okay? For their sakes." He said.

"Sure. I'll tell them. Its a shame Merrick isn't around anymore, since he left to travel the world, but he probably thinks about us, and I don't know what became of Danny and Max, but Alyssa gets postcards from them every month. I see Alyssa sometimes, and she asks about you. I have to tell her I havn't seen you since we defeated Master Org. Even Danny asks about you, and one time Max mentioned how you would have loved to visit India with them if you had travled with them. We've all missed you in a way, Cole."

Cole smiled and looked at the full moon just beyond the clouds, then back at Taylor, "I wish we were still a team. Sometimes I think Princess Shayla thinks about us, too."

Taylor Smiled. "You're probably right. I've got to get back to base. I guess I'll be seeing you."

And, with the wind roaring past the two fellow teammates, they embraced in a strong hug. Cole felt like he was back to being a Power Ranger, but no matter how many times he wanted to still be one, he knew his powers as the red Ranger weren't coming back. They unclasped their hug and Taylor walked away. Cole stood upon the sand, and watched as Taylor got into the darkened figure, looked at him with a smile, as he smiled back, and drove off into the darkness of the beach.

When the darkened figure dissapeared over the horizon, Cole felt somthing burst open within him, not by force, but by a clensing feeling that felt like it had waited for enternity to come back to Cole.

That feeling was peace.

Cole decided to walk back down the shore, past the sand, past the strong smell of salt, and past the place that Cole would never call home. Cole yanked the bandages from his skin, the medicine stinging along the way, and threw them onto the sand. At this point, Cole felt better about himself than he did before, being able to hold his own, as he did when he was a Power Ranger, and could still summon his powers of talking to animals. But, most of all, he found a way to have peace. He was walking back to the place where it all started. Back to the place where he felt the most at home. The place he thought was safe for himself and his heart and soul and peace that came with it.

And this place was the forest. The place where Cole can find peace. It was infront of him throughout his journey.

**Elsewhere. Forest.**

Dayu felt the walls of the river close in on her. She didn't want to think about him, but she couldn't help it. Deker was the only one she could talk to in her times of trouble, and now he was gone. She knew he was gone, and wasn't coming back. Ever.

Then, she heard a noise. It came from the river.

"What's that?" Dayu asked herself.

The sound got louder, and it was a sorrow like no other. It was an unfamilair object floating down the river, and Dayu got up to take a better look. She chuckled when she realized it was a Furry Wart, chanting a song. No. It wasn't a song. It was a name.

"I miss Dayu...I miss Dayu." The Furry Wart chanted.

Someone's missing me? Dayu thought. Impossible.

Dayu watched the yellow figure come close to the shore, then she picked it up. It felt warm in her black and red hands, just like Deker had been.

"You poor thing," Dayu said. "Did Master Xandred cast you aside?"

"I missed you, Dayu." The Furry Wart said, its voice mournful.

"I missed you too. I guess you can stick around. After all, at least I'll have someone to talk to."

Then, she left the river, and all of the worries of the Sanzu river and Master Xandred behind, but one memory she would keep, that she promised to keep, was Deker.

THE END.


End file.
